EW #27

Emanuel Wilson

Running Back · Fort Valley State

An HBCU standout out of Fort Valley State, Emanuel Wilson built a three-year NFL career in Green Bay before landing in Seattle.

Emanuel Wilson's road to the NFL ran through Johnson C. Smith and Fort Valley State, small programs where he piled up rushing yards before going undrafted in 2023. He spent three seasons as a rotational back for the Green Bay Packers, and now brings that experience to Seattle's backfield.

★ SIAC Player of the Year (2022, Fort Valley State)

★ SIAC Offensive Player of the Year (2022, Fort Valley State)

Path to the league

Wilson began his college career at Johnson C. Smith in 2019, rushing for 1,040 yards and 13 touchdowns on 159 carries, before transferring to Fort Valley State, where he led the team with 1,371 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns in 2022 en route to Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year honors. He went undrafted in 2023, briefly signed with the Denver Broncos, and was picked up by the Green Bay Packers days later.

Career highlights

Wilson made Green Bay's 53-man roster as a rookie and went on to play in 41 regular-season games for the Packers from 2023 to 2025, rushing for 1,083 yards and 7 touchdowns. His best NFL season came in 2024, when he played all 17 games and rushed for 502 yards and four touchdowns.

2025 season recap

Wilson spent the 2025 season with the Green Bay Packers as part of their running back rotation before signing a one-year, $2.1 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks in March 2026.