Cowboys To Host Massive Prospect, Potential First-Round Draft Pick

The Dallas Cowboys need to walk out of the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft with at least one defensive player, and ideally two.

Dallas' defense was the biggest reason for the Cowboys missing the playoffs last season and while they have made improvements on that side of the ball this offseason, Jerry Jones still needs to do more.

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With options in free agency having dwindled, the Cowboys have an opportunity to take care of some of their needs in the 2026 NFL Draft, which is just weeks away.

One player the Cowboys are eyeing ahead of the three-day event is Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, who the team is bringing in for a visit.

McNeil-Warren revealed the impending meeting in an interview with NFL Draft On SI's Justin Melo.

"I have one (meeting) coming up with the Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys," McNeil-Warren told Melo.

Why McNeil-Warren is a perfect fit for Cowboys

Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (Toledo)
- #3 safety/#42 overall
- 6033/209
- 11 career forced fumbles
- Enforcer over the MOF, no fear of contact
- Syncs break with the QB’s release & takes good angles to the ball
- Punishing tackler with elite stopping power
- Length to shed blocks,… pic.twitter.com/1bNwEDaa4p
— James Foster (@NoFlagsFilm) January 7, 2026

The Cowboys could most certainly use a versatile safety and McNeil-Warren would check that box.

Standing at a massive 6-foot-4, McNeil-Warren does his best work in the box, where he is a hard hitter, a menace against the run and can cover tight ends while serving as a hybrid linebacker.

He's also a playmaker, with the Toledo safety tallying nine forced fumbles and five interceptions in college.

McNeil-Warren is capable of playing some free safety, but he's not someone who can take on faster wide receivers downfield. When asked to cover last season, he posted an elite 91.8 grade, Pro Football Focus recorded.

Emmanuel McNeil-Warren scouting report

Toledo Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren tackles Wyoming Cowboys running back Harrison Waylee | Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Here's more on McNeil-Warren, per Lance Zierlein of NFL.com:

"Long, downhill safety capable of bolstering a team’s run defense and playing enforcer over the middle," Zierlein said. "McNeil-Warren is most valuable when playing near the line of scrimmage or in robber positioning. He anticipates well in coverage and is quick to close on receivers but will need to be protected by scheme to prevent speed mismatches. He’s urgent in run support and has a feel for slipping blocks/meeting runners early in the carry. He’s a rangy tackler, but needs to quiet his feet when diagnosing and flowing downhill to tackle. McNeil-Warren might be pigeon-holed schematically but he’s good at his job."

While some have projected McNeil-Warren as a second-round pick, we could definitely see him going late in the first round.

The Cowboys have pick No. 20, so they're in range to draft the hulking safety, and it's also possible Dallas could trade back and still land him.

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