2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (DB – Toledo)

FantasyPros will be taking a look at early NFL Draft scouting reports before the Combine in February. Here’s a look at Toledo defensive back Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.

2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren

Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (DB – Toledo)

6-foot-2 | 202 Pounds

Background

Emmanuel McNeil-Warren played sparingly as a freshman in 2022 before playing over 600 snaps the following year (five starts) and posting 69 tackles (four for loss), three breakups and two interceptions.

Followed that up with 61 tackles, five breakups and one interception in eight 2024 appearances (all starts) before sustaining an unspecified season-ending injury. Reprised his starting role in 2025 and posted 77 tackles (5.5 for loss), five breakups and two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown. Also has nine career forced fumbles.

Positives

Big, productive three-year contributor who primarily plays in the box, but has some experience as a high safety and (to a lesser extent) in the slot. Shows good patience and square shoulders when playing the run. Likes to play downhill, showing good aggression and physicality when attacking blocks and working through trash to get to the ball.

Contact balance when taking on blocks is impressive. Has quick feet and good lateral movement to navigate through traffic. Closes fast when he finds a lane, showing an impressive closing burst, which allows him to generate a lot of force on contact; definitely an explosive, tone-setting hitter and enforcer.

McNeil-Warren recorded nine career forced fumbles, using his length very effectively and showing excellent awareness/timing to strip or punch out the ball. Does a good job of lining up opposing receivers over the middle of the field to intimidate and deliver hits if needed.

Click and close is fast when sniffing out screens from the box or when shaded over. Uses his length/hands well to feel routes developing when pattern-matching. Gets his head around pretty early with his back to the ball, and length and aggressiveness have allowed him to make a good amount of plays when in-phase. Has the frame to potentially work in man coverage against some tight ends and bigger receivers.

Negatives

McNeil-Warren will be making a relatively big step up in the level of competition. Sometimes on the boundary between patience and slow processing in the run game. Can get pulled up by play fakes, and doesn’t have the best agility/acceleration to recover positioning.

Usage in school was typically more of a robber than a true high safety. Seems indecisive at times when working in deep zones, and looks to be on much firmer ground when he’s flying downhill. His body tends to get a bit high and narrow in coverage, without the cleanest, most efficient footwork. Unspecified injury that ended his 2024 season will require further investigation.

Summary

A big, long-limbed strong safety with impressive explosiveness and physicality, traits which allow McNeil-Warren to punish ball-carriers when playing downhill in the run game or driving on spots in coverage. He has also shown an impressive nose for the ball, whether in terms of forcing fumbles or breaking up throws down the field.

Could stand to improve the speed at which he processes/recognizes what offenses are trying to do when working in coverage. Tools and temperament will likely have him off the board within the first couple of rounds. Somewhat reminiscent of 2021 second-rounder Trevon Moehrig.

Projection: Round 2