Emmanuel McNeil-Warren's Fit in Browns' Defensive Scheme Requires One Key Adjustment

The Cleveland Browns put together another standout NFL Draft class this past weekend, selecting some of college football's most talented prospects.

Among their ten total draft picks, their late second-round selection of Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren is considered a steal, as he was projected as a first-round pick by most analysts.

Now that Cleveland has added another safety to their defensive back room—which finds itself in a peculiar situation with two expiring contracts at season's end—they'll need to find ways to incorporate McNeil-Warren into their game plan as early as possible.

That way, they'll have a better idea of the kind of player they traded up for. In their assessment of him during training camp, the Browns may need to make a scheme change to better suit his strengths as a player.

Find ways to disguise McNeil-Warren

One aspect of Cleveland’s defense they won’t move away from, even with the coaching change and the hiring of Mike Rutenberg, is their preference for versatile safeties. In McNeil-Warren’s case, he may need to learn to play more as a nickel or hybrid safety.

This would differ from a traditional deep safety role, but with the known talent he possesses, that shouldn’t be a tall task. At Toledo, McNeil-Warren was familiar with a 4-2-5 scheme, which allowed him to drop back in coverage when needed but also provide run support with his blistering downhill speed.

If Cleveland decides McNeil-Warren is a jack-of-all-trades who can take snaps closer to the line of scrimmage, he could line up in the slot as a nickel. That would surely help their need for run support while still giving him range to drop back in coverage if needed.

The Browns certainly could get away with slight scheme changes to their star-studded defense, especially if it's not a permanent change across the board—just for their safeties. For McNeil-Warren, playing a hybrid role may even help their pass rushers disrupt in the backfield if he's also swarming off the edge.

How McNeil-Warren can adapt to scheme change

This adjustment would be more of a mental shift than anything else, depending on his comfort level closer to the line of scrimmage where receivers make quick route breaks. He'll face tighter coverages but also be relied on from time to time to drop back while balancing typical nickel responsibilities.

Having the ability to disguise McNeil-Warren in multiple defensive looks could be a gamechanger for the Browns, especially against modern offenses that use their own disguises to trick defenses.

McNeil-Warren playing more in the slot would also require him to play with more urgency—not the patience typical deep safeties show. Being closer to the line will demand quick reaction time, which shouldn’t be an issue considering his 4.52 40-yard dash at the scouting combine.

One important aspect for Cleveland will be knowing when to deploy him as their hybrid safety/nickel, because too many looks could hurt their ability to run disguises if it becomes too predictable.

The Browns now boast a trio of safeties with distinct traits—Grant Delpit, Ronnie Hickman, and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren—which should make defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg's job much easier with these three talented athletes to rely on.

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