EmmanuelMcNeil-Warren

McNeil-Warren is a long-levered and agile athlete who prowls the secondary waiting for the right moment to swoop down and strike. A three-year starter for Toledo, he amassed 214 combined tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 13 passes defensed, five picks, and a ridiculous nine forced fumbles in four seasons there. He’s a fluid and flexible mover who has the agility to flip his hips and run with receivers downfield. He watches pass catchers’ eyes and hands to time when to look back, and he has a knack for taking the right angles on the ball, showing awareness of route combinations and running where the ball is going to cut receivers off at the catch point. He flashes high-level ball skills, as evidenced by his incredible diving pick against Central Michigan, and gave up just one touchdown in primary coverage last year, per PFF. He has an accurate and highly effective Peanut punch, as evidenced by his nine career forced fumbles. Pass catchers and backs need to have two hands on the ball if he’s around. Against the run, he looks to fly downhill and lay down a hit. He’s aggressive and instinctive in run support, shooting through gaps in the line to arrive at the ballcarrier. He anticipates where the play is going and makes a beeline to that spot to cut it off. He avoids blocks with jukes and strafes to slip into the rush path. He hustles to the ball and sticks with the play to the whistle. He flies through the line on the blitz and has very good closing speed.

McNeil-Warren’s aggressiveness borders on recklessness at times. He missed 10 tackles in 2025, per PFF, and overran far too many plays. He’ll have to play with more discipline at the next level while improving at wrapping up instead of diving at ankles. He’s decisive coming downhill but will shoot through gaps and end up out of position. He occasionally takes rough angles or takes the cheese on fakes and finds himself out of position. He jumps and sidesteps blocks rather than taking them on.