The Minnesota Vikings should look to bolster safety through free agency. Still, they do need to add more young talent through the draft to give themselves a starter for potentially the next decade, as they did with Harrison Smith. One player they should consider is Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.
EMC had a standout season in 2025, recording 77 tackles, two interceptions, six pass deflections, and three forced fumbles. Those stats caused him to shoot up draft boards and potentially join fellow Toledo alumni Quinyon Mitchell as a Day 1 starter in the NFL.
Now, more than ever, the Vikings find themselves in unfamiliar territory as they head into the draft. After the unceremonious firing of former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, they are operating with an interim GM until the draft. Under their new structure, Kevin O’Connell and Brian Flores will likely make personnel decisions on their respective sides of the ball. They need to draft a safety who could play immediately.
After losing Cam Bynum in free agency last season and Harrison Smith looking all but set to retire, the Vikings look awfully thin at safety. Though modern draft gurus and positional-value experts rate the position much lower than they had in the past, it’s still clear just how great an impact a dominant safety can have on the defense.
Look at Kyle Hamilton and Nick Emmanwori, who have elevated their defense and made plays at all three levels. Minnesota’s defense looked quite a bit better last season when Harrison Smith was on the field compared to when he missed time with his injury. Although Smith, 37, was past his prime, his impact was evident. Consider the Christmas Day game as an example of just how significant Smith was in the Flores defense.
At 6’2” and 203 lbs., Emmanuel McNeil-Warren has the size to translate to the NFL. What makes him especially intriguing is his wingspan, which has allowed him to be so disruptive against smaller receivers at the catch point.
EMC is surprisingly fluid for a player of his size in pass coverage. He can use his size and speed to his advantage, covering large swaths of the field. While operating as a robber in zone coverage, EMC can read the quarterback’s eyes and drive down to the ball to make plays.
While he possesses the size to be solid in man coverage against slot receivers and this new style of tight end, his footwork will need some refinement in the NFL. He often gets caught when put on an island against pass-catchers when they make sharp cuts, leaving him flat-footed and behind the play. He can also get burned by a receiver’s straight-line speed, leading to potential game-breaking plays.
McNeil-Warren sets itself apart from other safeties against the run. Much like Hamilton and Emmanwori, he relishes the ability to play downhill and attack the ball carrier. He plays with a physicality and intensity that Flores looks for in his safeties, be it Harrison Smith or Jevon Holland.
EMC looks to get right in the middle of the action, triggering downhill with immense speed and bringing ball carriers down. While he doesn’t hit as hard as Smith, his contributions against the run are more than noticeable.
Against the run, McNeil-Warren will need to avoid diving at ankles and legs when taking bad angles. Instead, he must reset his feet before trying to lay the boom on ball carriers.
Still, his ability to force turnovers sets him apart from other safeties in this class. In three seasons as a starter on defense, he forced nine fumbles, always looking to dislodge the ball. Minnesota’s defense struggled to generate turnovers in every game outside of the Cincinnati Bengals game and on Christmas Day.
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren would thrive in Brian Flores’ defense as a split safety, patrolling one half of the field and shutting down either pass or run on his side with his exceptional length. His defensive versatility makes him a threat as both a box safety and someone who can use his natural athleticism to patrol zones effectively. He would be a Day 1 contributor and also a potential cornerstone for the next iteration of Minnesota’s defense.
