It's jersey number assignment time in the NFL. Following the league's draft, the new players take the numbers of former players. Sometimes, a legend has his jersey given to someone who has never played a down in the NFL. A good example is a recent number the Seattle Seahawks handed out.
Before we get there, we know that Seattle has a lot of decisions to make. The team chose 11 new players in the draft, and some teams have far fewer. In fact, in the 2021 draft, the Seahawks only had three choices. None of those players remain with Seattle, but that is good.
Let's hope we do not say the same thing about the 2025 draft class because the 2021 one had just three players. If 11 players go bad, the franchise will be doomed for years.
Seahawks continue to create a makeover by giving a rookie a legend's jersey number
However, one transition from the past success of the early 2010s to now has taken place with the rookie jersey numbers. Quarterback Russell Wilson, the best QB in franchise history, was drafted in 2012 and wore the number 3. The only player to wear that since Wilson was traded in 2022 is cornerback Artie Burns. That was only for a short time.
No offense to Burns, but he has never been viewed as a potentially high-end contributor to Seattle's plans. That scenario changes with 2025 second-round choice Nick Emmanwori. He doesn't hit like Seattle legend Kam Chancellor, but he has the same size at 6'3" and 220 pounds and even more speed.
Still, Emmanwori could have the same presence on defense as the Chancellor from his strong safety spot. The rookie can play the run well and create havoc for opposing offenses. This is precisely what Chancellor did.
Seattle Seahawks DB Nick Emmanwori (@Eman7Nick) is wearing number 3. Last assigned to Russell Wilson. #Seahawks pic.twitter.com/ywzbYRKyWI
— NFL Jersey Numbers (@nfl_jersey_num) May 1, 2025
Chancellor wore jersey number 31 for Seattle, however. Emmanwori won't. He will take Wilson's number 3.
Maybe this is an ode to Wilson and Chancellor. Emmanwori will never play offense, but one might argue the reason for the Seahawks' Super Bowl runs in 2013 and 2014 had far more to do with the defense than Wilson's offense. Chancellor was a massively important part of those defenses.
Emmanwori is not afraid of making his mark, though. Speaking recently on Seattle Sports' Wyman & Bob show, the safety said of his new jersey, "My body’s got to accept the number." That was seemingly far less respectful of Russell Wilson and Kam Chancellor, as Emmanwori wanted to make sure he was seen as independent of those two.
Emmanwori is a slightly different player from Chancellor. He doesn't play offense like Wilson did, but he might be one of the significant facets of the Seahawks' future success, a combination of Chancellor and Wilson.