The Steal of the Draft? Why EMac is Andrew Berry's New JOK

The draft room in Berea usually operates with cold, calculated precision, adhering strictly to a rigid analytical board. But every once in a while, a talent slides so far down the order that the front office simply has to audible. When Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren was shockingly still available near the back half of the second round, Andrew Berry didn't hesitate. He aggressively maneuvered up the draft board to secure the 22-year-old game-changer at pick No. 58 overall.

If you are wondering why the Dawg Pound should be fired up about a prospect from a smaller program, it is time to consider the tale of the tape.

The MAC Pedigree & Freakish Measurables

McNeil-Warren comes out of the Mid-American Conference with a perceived small-school pedigree. However, the University of Toledo has quietly transformed into a legitimate NFL defensive back factory. EMW is the sixth Toledo defensive player drafted in the last five years, following closely in the footsteps of recent first-round elite cover men like Quinyon Mitchell.

What separates McNeil-Warren from the pack is a staggering blend of size and explosive athleticism. Standing a towering 6-foot-3 ½ and weighing 201 pounds, he boasts a 35.5-inch vertical and a massive 78 ¼-inch wingspan.

This move feels incredibly familiar. It mirrors the exact structural strategy Berry used when he traded up in the second round for Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. Just as JOK brought safety-like closing speed and fluidity to the linebacker level, McNeil-Warren brings linebacker-like length and violent physicality to the safety position.

When you stack EMac's pre-draft measurables against the premier, established safeties currently terrorizing the NFL, his absolute ceiling becomes undeniable:

Combine Measurable	Emmanuel McNeil-Warren	Kyle Hamilton	Derwin James
Height	6' 3 ½"	6' 4 ⅛"	6' 1 ¾"
Weight	201 lbs	220 lbs	215 lbs
Wingspan	78 ¼"	79 ¾"	78 ⅝"
40-Yard Dash	4.52s	4.59s	4.47s

The Peanut Punch and Turnover Culture

Raw athletic traits are worthless if they don't translate to football production, but EMW is a verified ball-hawk. He finished his collegiate career with an absolute nose for the football, constantly deploying a vicious "peanut punch" to rip the ball away from ball-carriers.

In his standout 2025 campaign, McNeil-Warren finished among the national leaders by forcing three fumbles, recovering two, and returning an interception for a touchdown against Western Kentucky. He recorded nine forced fumbles over the course of his 48-game college career.  EMac plays with his own brand of chaotic, game-wrecking energy that forces offenses into drive-killing mistakes.

The Rutenberg Fit & 3-Safety Packages

Enter new Cleveland Browns Defensive Coordinator Mike Rutenberg. Rutenberg arrives in town with a reputation for maximizing secondary talent, having spent the 2025 season operating as the defensive pass game coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons. Under his watch, Atlanta's safety duo of Xavier Watts (five interceptions) and Jessie Bates III (three interceptions) tied for the second-most interceptions by any safety tandem in the league with a combined eight picks.

Rutenberg loves to deploy complex three-safety packages that confuse quarterbacks, disguise coverages, and clog deep passing lanes. McNeil-Warren has the hybrid versatility to either range deep as a traditional free safety with his 4.52 speed or come aggressively down into the box to shut down the run game. Should the front office fail to reach a long-term contract extension to retain Grant Delpit, McNeil-Warren is perfectly positioned to step in seamlessly as a high-impact replacement.

The Final Verdict

For McNeil-Warren to get on the field early and become a permanent fixture on this defense, the rookie must prove he can process complex NFL route combinations at game speed and consistently anchor his run-fits against professional blockers. If he can refine his technique to match his physical tools, he will lock down the secondary alongside a young, hungry core featuring Carson Swesinger and Mason Graham.

Andrew Berry just drafted a 6-foot-3 guided missile with a penchant for stealing the football. The rest of the AFC North is officially on notice.