{"id":845247,"date":"2026-03-31T17:00:29","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T17:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/845247\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T17:00:29","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T17:00:29","slug":"vikings-perfect-fit-in-2026-nfl-draft-is-a-potential-star-from-the-toledo-rockets-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/845247\/","title":{"rendered":"Vikings’ perfect fit in 2026 NFL Draft is a potential star from the Toledo Rockets"},"content":{"rendered":"

Vikings’ perfect fit in 2026 NFL Draft is a potential star from the Toledo Rockets<\/a> originally appeared on The Sporting News<\/a>. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Minnesota Vikings<\/a> are a team full of talent, and now they even appear to have a quarterback, Kyler Murray.<\/p>\n

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That allows them to be quite flexible in the 2026 NFL Draft.<\/p>\n

They’ve got the No. 18 overall selection, the last spot among teams that missed the playoffs, and to help them return to the postseason, Minnesota has to find a way to snag the best, most impactful player available.<\/p>\n

If the draft board breaks the right way, that guy could be Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.<\/p>\n

ESPN’s Matt Bowen wrote<\/a> in a new article on Tuesday that McNeil-Warren is his “favorite fit” in this draft for the Vikings.<\/p>\n

MORE:\u00a0E<\/a>agles’ new signing flew himself as a pilot to Philadelphia<\/a><\/p>\n

McNeil-Warren is a 6-foot-4 safety who played his college football as a star in the MAC for the Toledo Rockets.<\/p>\n

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And on multiple levels, he fits nicely with the Vikings.<\/p>\n

“McNeil-Warren is ideal for coordinator Brian Flores’ scheme, which focuses on creating chaos for opposing offenses with late movement and pressure,” Bowen writes. “Flores and the Vikings played two-high coverage on 56.5% of opponent dropbacks last season, the second most in the league. McNeil-Warren has the explosive forward ability to drive on the ball from the deep half or a quarters alignment. And he has the range to track it deep. Flores will also use his third-level defenders on pressure concepts; Minnesota’s defensive back blitz rate of 15.1% ranked fourth highest last season. That lends well to McNeil-Warren’s forward burst.”<\/p>\n

McNeil-Warren would be in some ways a potential heir to Harrison Smith, who may retire soon. They don’t have exactly the same skillsets, but as far as being able to impact the game from the safety spot, that would be the Vikings’ hope for McNeil-Warren.<\/p>\n

They’ll just have to cross their fingers that he makes it to the 18th pick. He’s talented enough that someone might scoop him up before then.<\/p>\n

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