Bears Considering MAC Safety McNeil-Warren at No. 25

The trendy mock pick for the Bears could be a gamble for a player from a smaller conference.

Mar. 21, 2026 at 4:37pm

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Many analysts' mock drafts project safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren of Toledo to be selected by the Chicago Bears with the 25th overall pick. However, there are questions about whether a player from the Mid-American Conference (MAC) is worth a first-round selection, especially given McNeil-Warren's underwhelming athletic testing at the NFL Combine.

Why it matters

The Bears have not taken a safety in the first round since 1990, so selecting McNeil-Warren would be a departure from their typical draft strategy. Additionally, the Bears have other key needs on the defensive line that they may prioritize over a safety in the first round.

The details

McNeil-Warren had a strong college career at Toledo, earning a top-2 safety grade from Pro Football Focus last season. He has a knack for creating turnovers, with 9 career forced fumbles, 5 interceptions, and 13 pass defenses. However, his combine performance was underwhelming, ranking 13th out of 14 safeties in the 40-yard dash and 12th in the vertical leap. The Bears have interviewed McNeil-Warren, indicating they are interested, but his production came against MAC competition, which is generally considered a lower level of play than power conferences.

  • McNeil-Warren will participate in Toledo's pro day on Monday, March 25, 2026.
  • The Bears will make their first-round selection at the NFL Draft on Thursday, April 24, 2026.

The players

Emmanuel McNeil-Warren

A safety prospect from the University of Toledo who is projected to be selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Ryan Poles

The general manager of the Chicago Bears, who will be responsible for making the team's first-round selection.

Caleb Downs

A top safety prospect from Ohio State University who is expected to be selected before McNeil-Warren.

Dillon Thieneman

A top safety prospect from the University of Oregon who is expected to be selected before McNeil-Warren.

Jaquan Brisker

The Bears' starting safety who is leaving the team in free agency, creating a need at the position.

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What they’re saying

“I'm versatile, so I've played in the box, been able to play up high. So being every play, everywhere on the field, being able to make plays, it means a lot.”

— Emmanuel McNeil-Warren

“I feel like wherever you are at, if you know how to play ball they're going to find you. So me being at Toledo, I was just working hard, working hard every day, trying to just keep that motivation in myself, just telling myself, like, they're going to find me wherever I'm at.”

— Emmanuel McNeil-Warren

“Toledo, it's a small school, it's like a small MAC school so how I treat it like is you've got to work harder than anybody because people at a power-5 school they got it easier than us. So I feel like me being in a MAC school, I had to work harder every day to push myself. Even when my body was tired, even when I feel like giving up, I'd try to keep pushing myself.”

— Emmanuel McNeil-Warren

What’s next

The Bears will evaluate McNeil-Warren's performance at Toledo's pro day on March 25 to help determine if he is worth a first-round selection.

The takeaway

While McNeil-Warren has impressive college production, his athletic testing and level of competition raise questions about whether he is worthy of a first-round pick, especially for a Bears team with other pressing needs on the defensive line. The decision will come down to how much the Bears value his playmaking ability versus the risk of selecting a safety from a smaller conference so early in the draft.