Position: SAF
Height: 6’2
Weight: 205
Stats: 2025 (13 games) – 77 tackles, 5.5 TFL, sack, 2 INT (TD), 5 PBU, 2 FR, 3 FF | 6 receptions allowed, 116 yards, TD, 56.5 QBR on 14 targets | 10 missed tackles (13.3%)
Class/Age: Senior, 21
Team: Toledo
Positives:
McNeil-Warren has been a top name among group of five safeties his entire career since he made an impact in 2023 and in his career he’s logged 214 tackles, 11 TFL, a sack, 5 interceptions, 13 pass breakups, 2 recoveries, and 9 forced fumbles. Additionally, McNeil-Warren has allowed just 34 receptions, 403 yards and 3 touchdowns on 60 targets his entire collegiate career. McNeil-Warren has exceptional size and athleticism for the position, likely posting a sub 4.5 40 at 6’2, 205 and he’s been a versatile defender as well lining up 909 times at strong safety, 574 as a free safety, and 256 times as a nickel linebacker. The senior safety is an extremely violent player and has a natural aggressive trigger downhill and in coverage consistently coming downhill to make plays on the ball and defeat run defenders at the point of attack. He shows extremely fluid hips and foot speed along with exceptional body and balance control which allows him to be a true sideline to sideline defender. McNeil-Warren is massively physical consistently attacking a receiver at the point of attack while also working through assignments to get off blocks, jam receivers, or get into the backfield against the run. He displays strong awareness and IQ in coverage with the ability to jump off routes and break on the receiver to identify a play on the ball. He’s most comfortable in zone coverage where he has the ability to sit back and read the QB and utilize his instincts and awareness of route concepts to make plays in coverage or flush out routes forcing the ball elsewhere. McNeil-Warren has exceptional first step quickness and burst along with an ability to break out of his cut and drive downfield or vertically to make a play. The senior shows the ability to work in man coverage as well and maintain a physical profile through tight ends and slot receivers.
Weakness:
McNeil-Warren is going to need to adapt to the speed of the game at the NFL, he’s played strong competition at Toledo and has performed well along with performing well at the senior bowl, but the speed will be different and that may take a year for him to develop into the player he can become immediately. Warren will need to add strength and mass to his frame and at 205 he can hold another 10 pounds while keeping his athleticism and fluid playstyle that will allow him to also maintain more functional strength to consistently fight off bigger tight ends in the NFL and guards at the 2nd level if he’s playing more in the box. McNeil-Warren was only asked to play man coverage on 28% of his concepts at Toledo in his final two seasons, and he’ll need more experience and improve his leverage technique as a man coverage defender. Additionally, McNeil-Warren does struggle with his overall instincts in man coverage and while he’s exceptionally fluid in man coverage he does need more time and development to really refine his ability to play in man coverage as a nickel linebacker, strong safety at the NFL level. McNeil-Warren has a great first step but he does struggle consistently in the long speed and converting his bail coverage to long speed runs and that can be an issue in the NFL if playing consistently over the top. McNeil-Warren will need to clean up his tackling angles and despite his physicality and form, he does overpursue a little too often and there’s moments he consistently lets the cutback lane free leading to big rushers.
Grade: 2.18 – Early 2nd Round
Pro-Comp: Talanoa Hufanga (DEN)
McNeil-Warren is a prototypical strong safety in the NFL, he does have the ability to play over the top but likely will see a near 65/35 split from strong safety/nickel linebacker to free safety. He’s a young player who does have a ton of room to grow and he’s going to succeed off his athletic playstyle, instincts, and sideline to sideline range. McNeil-Warren is an extremely violent player, does have an exceptional trigger downhill, does a good job in most facets of his game, and has a long runway of improvement ahead of him along with a fairly high floor as well. The Raiders desperately need to revamp their safety room this off-season, Jeremy Chinn is a great fit at a nickel role and switching to strong safety but keeping Chinn in the slot with McNeil-Warren at a strong safety and adding a true free safety would go a long way to revamp the Raiders defensive back room.
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