The Chicago Bears have a handful of needs, including most notably the trenches, heading into the 2026 NFL Draft. But finding a starting safety in the draft is definitely a point of necessity. Chicago lost three safeties this offseason, including starters Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker, while adding Coby Bryant in free agency.
A safety to consider, whether it’s in the first round or if he falls into the second, is Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren. Playing in the MAC, as opposed to one of the Power-4 conferences, may not have exposed him as much as he deserved, but he is projected to be a top-50 pick.
McNeil-Warren played four years of college football, and he got better every year. In 2025, he created turnovers and made it very difficult to throw to his side of the field with Toledo. He finished with five pass deflections, two interceptions, and one touchdown when defending against the pass. He also forced three fumbles and recovered two.
A game-changer like McNeil-Warren would be an outstanding addition to the Bears and Dennis Allen’s defense. With some of the other defensive backs that Chicago has in place, he would fit in well.
The Bears were one of the best teams in the NFL last season, so a player like McNeil-Warren going to a team building to establish themselves might be just what he needs to develop for a year or two before really becoming a focal point of the defense.
There is also the chance that McNeil-Warren comes to the league and proves worthy of playing every down regularly. The ceiling is there for him to do that. The only critique against him, which is why he might need some time to develop raw skills, was his level of competition in college. The MAC has great teams, but it’s not the Big Ten, ACC, or SEC. Still, McNeil-Warren has the tools to become a star.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Why Bears should consider Emmanuel McNeil-Warren in 2026 NFL Draft
Reporting by Vincent Parise, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
