One of the greatest benefits of having so many new, young players on the Cleveland Browns is that they are not personally burdened by the past failures of the franchise. They can approach their NFL careers with clear eyes, believing nothing is out of reach, despite playing for an organization that has been historically unsuccessful since being reinstated into the league.
The Browns added their latest impressive class of wide-eyed rookies in the 2026 NFL Draft. Among those 10 picks was safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, who was selected with the No. 58 overall pick after Cleveland traded up to get him in the second round.
After impressing during rookie minicamp, McNeil-Warren is embarking on his first organized team activities (OTAs), and with the optimism that greets every new season around the league, he revealed that he is looking forward to getting “that ring” in the NFL.
“Just being able to impact the game in any way, on special teams, on defense. Just any way for us to win games and get to that ring. Get to that Super Bowl, for real,” McNeil-Warren said.
The fact that McNeil-Warren is willing to do whatever is asked of him reflects the character he showed by finishing his college career at Toledo rather than entering the transfer portal and chasing NIL money from a more prominent program. He has also embraced his opportunity with the Browns after falling well out of the first round, where he had been projected to go in many mock drafts.
He is joining a defense that not only has two-time Defensive Player of the Year and sacks record-holder Myles Garrett, but also Defensive Rookie of the Year Carson Schwesinger, and Mason Graham, who was a top-5 pick in 2025. Despite that collection of talent, there is an opening for McNeil-Warren to make a significant impact of his own as a rookie, with potential free agents Grant Delpit and Ronnie Hickman ahead of him at safety.
As for the overall outlook, McNeil-Warren may or may not know that the Browns have never made it to the Super Bowl, and they have not won their division since returning to action in 1999, but it is often good to have a goal that may at first extend one’s grasp.
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