After catching a pass over the middle, Willie Rodriguez turned and had plenty of green space in front of him. The Kentucky tight end thought he was about to give his team a substantial gain and good field position in a game against Toledo this past season.
But that all changed when Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren stepped in his way. McNeil-Warren didn’t just stop Rodriguez, he punched at the ball with hostility. And after forcing a fumble, McNeil-Warren pounced on the ball instantly.
McNeil-Warren is being viewed by many as the best prospect in this year’s NFL Draft class out of the Group of Six. And it’s because he’s physical and disruptive for opposing offenses, as he showed against Kentucky.
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Emmanuel McNeil-Warren NFL Draft Projection
I project Emmanuel McNeil-Warren will be selected by the Minnesota Vikings with the 18th overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
This is higher than I had him going before, as I thought he would fall to the Bears at 25th overall. But the Vikings need help at safety, especially with Harrison Smith’s future still unclear.
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren’s 40 Time & NFL Combine Results
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren ran the 40-yard dash in 4.52 seconds, which ranked 13th out of 14 safeties who participated in that drill at the NFL Combine. He also recorded a broad jump of 10 feet, 2 inches, which was ninth among 12 safeties, and a vertical jump of 35.5 inches, which was 12th among 16 at his position group.
McNeil-Warren was measured at 6 feet, 3.5 inches and 201 pounds at the NFL Combine.
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren Stats & Highlights
McNeil-Warren was a 2025 HERO Sports Group of Five All-American and was a third-team Associated Press All-American. He was also a first-team All-MAC selection and was one of 15 defensive backs in the country to be named a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award.
He was second on the Rockets with 77 tackles last season while adding 5.5 tackles for loss, seven passes defended, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and two interceptions.
In 2023 as a sophomore, he tallied 69 tackles, four TFLs, five passes defended, four forced fumbles, and two interceptions. A year later, he added 61 tackles, 1.5 TFLs, five passes defended, one forced fumble, and an INT.
For his collegiate career, McNeil-Warren tallied 214 tackles, 11 TFLs, one sack, five interceptions, 17 passes defended, nine forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.
Where Is Emmanuel McNeil-Warren From?
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren is from Tampa, Florida. He went to Lakewood High School before playing college football at Toledo.
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren NFL Draft Profile & Comparison
My NFL comparison for Emmanuel McNeil-Warren is Jaquan Brisker. McNeil-Warren has a bit more height, but both are taller safeties who aren’t afraid to play near the line of scrimmage and help in run defense.
McNeil-Warren is extremely physical. He’ll lower his shoulder and hit people with ferocity.
He’s also excellent when the ball is in the air, as evidenced by the number of passes he broke up in college. He’s constantly looking to create turnovers, whether it’s from a “Peanut Punch” forced fumble or a pick.
McNeil-Warren was graded as the No. 1 safety by Pro Football Focus (minimum 190 snaps) in 2025. He was also No. 1 at his position for coverage.
In coverage, he tied for 10th-best mark in the country with an allowed reception rate of 40%. He allowed just six catches for 116 yards on 15 targets. Throws his way had an NFL passer rating of just 50.3.
Presnap, he spent the majority of his time in the box, but he can also line up at free safety if needed.
His lack of top-end speed might be a concern, but he could end up being an excellent, versatile safety in the NFL for several years.
