The Kansas City Chiefs won Super Bowl LVIII thanks in large part to their elite defense outdueling a talented San Francisco 49ers offense. Kansas City’s defense still features plenty of talent, but the unit took a step back this season. The Chiefs should add new defensive rotational pieces and depth through the 2025 NFL Draft.
Toledo Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren is a tall, 6’2″, 202 lb. safety with good arm length. He played everywhere for the Rockets, including lining up in off-man coverage over the slot option and playing press-man against Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. McNeil-Warren also saw snaps in the box and single-high and two-high coverage shells.
McNeil-Warren won’t offer value in the NFL in single-high and press-man assignments because he lacks the elite range and speed to fulfill those roles against higher-level competition. He anticipates throws and reads and baits quarterbacks into throwing interceptions, which makes him a good fit for Cover 2.
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren is the next NFL DB to come out of Toldeo. Leads FBS defenders with 8 forced fumbles in the last 3 seasons. S/O @RiseNDraft
for pointing him out to me pic.twitter.com/mky1fOLaSM— James Foster (@NoFlagsFilm) October 11, 2024
McNeil-Warren mirrors routes well from off-man and quickly closes to limit yards after the catch. He flies downhill with nice burst but takes poor angles to the football. McNeil-Warren is a master of punching and ripping the ball out. Last season, he forced four fumbles. He only received credit for forcing one fumble this season but arguably made two other strips.
McNeil-Warren is an eager run defender and a good wrap-up tackler. He weaves through traffic in the box to reach the running back and stays square when striking his intended target.
McNeil-Warren projects as a fourth-round selection who could get bumped up if he tests well.
Toledo’s regular season is over, but the team’s 7-5 record qualifies them for a bowl game. Recent trends point toward top prospects like McNeil-Warren not participating in those games, but there’s a chance he’ll suit up one last time.