If you were to poll several Chicago Bears fans at the moment, just days before the 2026 NFL Draft, a large portion of them would tell you one of their favorite prospects to end up in the Windy City is former Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.
It makes sense, too. McNeil-Warren is a do-it-all safety who isn't afraid to get his hands dirty against the run but is also strong against the pass. And, at pick no. 25 the Bears should be well-positioned to select him according to FanSided's NFL Draft guru Mike Luciano.
Luciano recently put together his NFL Draft Big Board and has McNeil-Warren listed as his 30th-ranked prospect overall. While the Bears would be well positioned to take him at no. 25, McNeil-Warren is a few spots behind two particular prospects that also make sense for Chicago: Florida's Caleb Banks (25) and Miami's Akheem Mesidor (26).
Although five spots isn't that much of a gap, this still makes McNeil-Warren a bit of a reach by the Bears at 25.
NFL Draft guru Mike Luciano offers slight caution over the Chicago Bears taking Emmanuel McNeil-Warren at 25
I spoke to Luciano directly and, although he says some positive things about McNeil-Warren in his brief summary, he also had this to say:
"Tackling in open field is an issue, and he's not the best athlete laterally."
In the end, Luciano doesn't believe these negatives are enough to outweigh his "tremendous" physical tools and the zone instincts he brings to the table. So, the Bears selecting him at the 25th pick wouldn't necessarily be a negative.
In fact, I would argue that drafting McNeil-Warren into a Bears defense led by Dennis Allen might be one of the most picture-perfect spots for him. Allen has always gotten the very best out of his secondary, so there would be little doubt about McNeil-Warren's weaknesses being turned into strengths.
Overall, I still truly believe he is exactly what this Bears secondary needs. His 6-foot-3 frame and pure strength are enough to impose his will on just about anyone he encounters with the football. McNeil-Warren has a motor that doesn't stop. He plays with an edge and physicality that the Bears want to continue to instill within that defense.
If not McNeil-Warren, Luciano's Big Board says the quiet part out loud about this class. He has a whopping nine defensive linemen ranked ahead of the Toledo product, which goes to show just how many top-tier trench players there are for the taking.
This is certainly something to ponder, as the Bears desperately need additional help on that defensive line.
Read more: ESPN's latest Bears trade idea puts Ryan Poles in position to hurt the Lions
Come draft night, Bears fans will be excited and a bit relieved to see all of these pre-draft questions come into focus. Will it be McNeil-Warren at 25?
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