The New England Patriots are gearing up for the draft, and they've started hosting potential picks at their facility. Among the prospects is Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, a standout safety from Toledo who might just hear his name called in the first round.
McNeil-Warren, who recently shared his experience on the "Up & Adams" podcast, seemed impressed by his visit. “I had a visit with the Patriots a couple of weeks ago.
It went well,” he said. “I liked their facility and the whole coaching staff.
Meeting them was cool, but it’s just cold down there too.”
Hailing from Lakewood High School in St. Petersburg, FL, McNeil-Warren made his mark at Toledo. The 6-foot-4, 201-pound safety played in 48 games, racking up 214 tackles, forcing nine fumbles, recovering two, and snagging five interceptions-one of which he took to the house.
His impressive senior season earned him first-team All-MAC honors and invitations to both the Senior Bowl and the Scouting Combine. In Indianapolis, he posted a Relative Athletic Score of 9.13, ranking him seventh among safeties.
The Patriots’ interest in McNeil-Warren is timely, given their recent shake-up at the safety spot. Jaylinn Hawkins has moved on to the Baltimore Ravens, while veteran Kevin Byard has joined on a one-year, $9 million deal. With Byard at 32, McNeil-Warren could be a strategic long-term investment alongside 2025 fourth-round pick Craig Woodson.
In addition to McNeil-Warren, the Patriots have also hosted offensive tackle Travis Burke from Memphis and running back Adam Randall from Clemson. Burke is seen as a potential late-round pick or rookie free agent, while Randall is expected to go in the middle rounds.