Daniel Jeremiah's latest mock draft solves Bears' biggest roster headache

The Chicago Beas have some clearly defined needs, and therefore most mock drafts have them going one of two or three different ways.

While most analysts are pegging an edge rusher to the team in their mock drafts, NFL.com draft expert Daniel Jeremiah went a different way in his latest mock draft, giving the team Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, a safety from Toledo.

"McNeil-Warren has the size, length and playmaking ability to fill the void left by-- in fact, I believe EMW would be an upgrade at the position."

Would the Chicago Bears draft Emmanuel McNeil-Warren in the 2026 NFL draft?

The fit is nearly perfect. The Bears redid their safety room, but the big move was Coby Bryant. Bryant is more of a rangy free safety who does a great job at being the back-end threat who keeps everything in front.

They signed Cam Lewis in free agency to play the strong safety role next to him, and while Lewis is experienced there, that is mainly because he played dime as a depth defensive back, not because he is starter quality.

So, the team has a hole and an obvious need for a starter. McNeil-Warren is the perfect complement to someone like Bryant because he presents size and straight line speed. McNeil-Warren can close the gap very quick and can click-and-close with the ability to make tackles.

He is a bit tight-hipped when it comes to changing direction, but that is why he will be running downhill and toward the quarterback, while Bryant will be the one making plays on the back end.

He would be an instant-impact starter and a good fit for a position of need. With this in mind, it is hard to get too mad at the pick. However, the Chicago Bears are screaming that they have had a few good safety tandems in recent years, but the safety tandem is only as good as the pass rush in front of it.

Cashius Howell went to the Buffalo Bills one pick later, and most Bears fans would rather have the edge rusher, even if they conceded that McNeil-Warren was actually the better prospect. Keldrick Faulk and Kayden McDonald are other defensive line picks in the first round of this mock draft, after the Bears picked.

Bears fans may have a similar feeling in their mouths to Colston Loveland last year if McNeil-Warren is the pick. They trust that he is the better player, and over time, the pick will make sense, but in the short term, you want a quick fix instead.