Why the Slide?: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren

Why the Slide Series

Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo

Rnk: 62 SR PRP: 3 Ovr: 58. B+

This series was created a number of years ago in response to questions about why certain well-known prospects went unselected in NFL drafts. For these articles, I reach out to sources with NFL teams to find out why their organizations passed on drafting a given player and/or the reasons other teams passed on that prospect. The positive response to “Why Undrafted” and questions from readers about why prospects were drafted lower than the media’s expectations led us to create the parallel series “Why the Slide?” and “Was it a Reach?”

The trio of series is back this year. Feel free to email me requests at [email protected]. I can’t promise to get to all of them, but I will do my best and definitely will respond to the email.

Early in 2026, one of the surprising projections for the first round was Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren. McNeil-Warren had a productive career with the Rockets while also showing size and physicality. Prior to the draft, I surveyed team sources, and a majority of them had McNeil-Warren graded on day two. However, there was one that had him as a first, and in the final days before the draft, I knew a team picking late in the first round had McNeil-Warren as an option for their first-round pick. However, McNeil-Warren slid deep into the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

From speaking with team sources, there weren’t enough teams that viewed him as a first-rounder for Warren to go that high. The consensus of him being a day-two prospect was too widespread, and that is why Warren slid to where more teams had him graded.

The Cleveland Browns ended McNeil-Warren’s slide in the back half of the second round, and that was a solid landing spot for him. Cleveland needed more talent at safety, so McNeil-Warren should get every opportunity to develop into a starter. Initially, McNeil-Warren is going to have to adjust to a big jump in competition, so it will be beneficial for him not to be forced onto the field before he is ready. With veterans Grant Delpit and Ronnie Hickman, McNeil-Warren can develop at his own pace. Perhaps by the end of his rookie season, McNeil-Warren will be starting, and he could turn into a solid, strong safety for the Browns.