Early in the NFL draft, many Cleveland Browns fans didn’t expect their team to focus on defensive players. But when a steal came along, the team couldn’t miss the chance to acquire him.
Writing for Cleveland.com, Lance Reisland praised incoming safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren and even compared him to former Seattle Seahawks defensive star Kam Chancellor.
“When I think about the Seahawks’ Legion of Boom, McNeil-Warren reminds me of Chancellor. He is a long, physical safety who plays with urgency and imposes himself physically on the game. He is at his best playing downhill, fitting the run and finishing through contact. He is a position-flexible player who loves contact and making big plays in crucial moments,” Reisland wrote.
Being compared to a four-time Pro Bowler is always a good thing, and McNeil-Warren is surely excited about it and also ready to get to work and show that the comparison is appropriate.
Before the draft, McNeil-Warren was already getting a ton of buzz, and some analysts thought that he could be a player picked up in the late teens. Instead, he was still around when No. 58 rolled around, and the Browns pounced on him. For some, it’s not entirely clear why he drifted so far down in the draft, but it could end up being great news for Cleveland.
Reisland has examined McNeil-Warren’s film, and he believes that he’s the sort of rookie who enjoys “making big plays” and being imposing. That sounds like the exact kind of player the Browns need.
Even though a lot of people didn’t plan on the Browns angling for a defensive player in the draft, McNeil-Warren looks like a gem of the second round, and he could instantly improve the team’s defense in a big way.
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