Emmanuel McNeil-Warren

● Tall, broad-shouldered body type and comfortable manning up tight ends in coverage ● Controlled, fluid athlete who’s able to redirect and carry receiver routes ● Long-legged and rangy, with adequate back-end speed ● Good hands and ball skills (see diving interception on 2025 Central Michigan tape) ● Has a knack for punching the ball out (nine career forced fumbles) ● Plays assignment sound (stays home) and understands field leverage on back-side contain ● Route anticipation took a jump between junior and senior seasons ● Toggles speed in pursuit to avoid blockers and break down as open-field tackler ● Not shy dropping his shoulder and driving through middle-field targets ● Called for just one penalty in college (1,861 career defensive snaps) ● NFL scouts say he was “highly loyal” when it came to transfer opportunities ● Not very vocal but well respected in locker room (NFL scout: “No ego to him, and I really like his competitive confidence.”)

● Narrow through torso, with thin wrists/ankles ● Overaggressive with run fits and late to course correct versus cutback runners ● Needs to clean up tackling mechanics — too many ankle-biting attempts or examples of him throwing his shoulder ● Inconsistent physicality when taking on contact in the box ● Missed final five games of junior season because of shoulder injury (October 2024); missed part of senior season because of elbow fracture and concussion (September 2021)

A three-year starter at Toledo, McNeil-Warren lined up as a boundary safety in former defensive coordinator Vince Kehres’ scheme (rotated to nickel and deep half during tempo). With five draft picks on defense over the past four years, former Toledo head coach (and current UConn head coach) Jason Candle developed a reputation for finding and developing talent with the Rockets — and McNeil-Warren is next up in the pipeline. He turned down transfer opportunities, and his trust in the Toledo staff paid off in his development over the past four years. Thanks to his footwork and hips, McNeil-Warren is a fluid mover with functional range and improved instincts versus the pass, which allows him to mirror and match tight ends and running backs. He drives on the football in run support and took a master’s class on the “Peanut Punch.” You’d wish there was more meat on his bones and will want to see him continue to improve his take-on and tackle-finishing skills. Overall, McNeil-Warren is an impressive size/speed athlete on the back end, who is at his best when roaming to read his keys, flow to the ball and quickly close space. He has the rangy tools to push for starting safety reps as an NFL rookie.