Emmanuel McNeil Warren stands out in the current landscape of college football.
These days, it’s pretty uncommon for top NFL draft prospects to come from outside the Power 4 conferences. With the rise of NIL deals, many athletes from smaller schools jump to larger programs for better pay before heading to the NFL.
Yet, McNeil-Warren decided to stick with Toledo, even after receiving interest from bigger programs following his junior year. Now, after a standout senior season, he’s emerged as one of the top safeties in the draft.
“I believe that no matter where you are, if you can play, they’ll find you,” McNeil-Warren shared. “At Toledo, I kept that drive within myself and pushed hard every single day. I kept telling myself, ‘They’ll notice me no matter what.’ It’s a small school, a modest MAC program, and I put in the effort to outwork everyone.”
“It’s kind of like feeling the same way I did back in my MAC school days. I had to push through, even when I was exhausted. I just kept going, even when I thought I couldn’t.”
Was it tough to say no to substantial offers from other places?
“Honestly, I wasn’t focused on short-term gains,” he explained. “I was more concerned about long-term success in the league. There were many schools wanting me to transfer or leave Toledo, but loyalty matters to me. Toledo believed in me from the start and helped develop my skills, so why would I turn my back on that? They wouldn’t abandon me.”
Toledo has recently gained a reputation for producing NFL talent, especially under head coach Jason Candle, who moved to UW after last season. McNeil-Warren’s teammate, Kunyon Mitchell, was a first-round pick by the Eagles in 2024 and was named a first-team All-Pro last year. The Giants also drafted Darius Alexander from Toledo in the third round of the previous draft.
“Seeing what Kinyon’s accomplished, and the achievements of others around me, inspires me to believe we can do this too. It’s all about mindset. We stay connected on social media, in group chats, and keep each other motivated every day,” said McNeil-Warren.
“[Quinyon] really encouraged us to stay driven. Honestly, you can break through from anywhere.”
This year, Caleb Downs is getting a lot of the spotlight as a top safety prospect. McNeil-Warren is expected to be drafted toward the end of the first round or early in the second round.
Known for being a hard hitter and effective tackler, McNeil-Warren has shown a talent for creating turnovers, although he has room to improve in coverage.
“He’s definitely more comfortable playing downhill than he is in deep coverage with his back to the quarterback,” noted David Siversen, the lead evaluator for Ourad Scouting Services. “He struggles with anticipation and reaction times and is a bit tight laterally. The agility drills he skipped at pro day and the combine might indicate something there.”
Nonetheless, his unique skill set aligns well with current NFL trends.
“The NFL is a league that tends to follow trends,” Siversen added. “Look at what Seattle did with Nick Emanwori, or what Baltimore did with Kyle Hamilton. There are plenty of 6-foot-3-plus safeties out there, and finding ones who can run, hit, and tackle is challenging. Many teams are looking for players like him right now.”
It seems McNeil-Warren has hit the ground running at just the right moment, both in his time at Toledo and as he steps into the NFL.
He’s got the potential to be a remarkable story of success from a smaller school.
