Signing Darnold was huge, but so was the decision to trade second- and third-round picks to move up 17 spots in April to grab Emmanwori at No. 35 overall.

He’s listed as a safety, but Emmanwori, 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, has the size, strength and skill to align almost anywhere. Per Pro Football Focus, he’s played 420 snaps at slot corner, 329 in the “box” as a linebacker or strong safety, 103 as an edge rusher, 15 at outside cornerback and seven at free safety.

At 21, he was the NFL’s only player in 2025 to have at least two sacks, eight tackles behind the line of scrimmage and 10 pass breakups. In a Week 14 win at Atlanta, he became the only player in franchise history to have an interception, sack and a blocked field goal.

In the 49ers’ 17-13 win at Seattle in Week 1, Emmanwori played just four snaps before exiting with a high ankle sprain. He played 93 snaps in their final two meetings, Seahawks wins in which the 49ers scored nine total points.

Link (paywall): https://www.sfchronicle.com/super-bowl-lx/article/super-bowl-lx-primer-seahawks-patriots-get-here-21317893.php