Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, safety, Toledo

With the board falling the way it did, I had a couple of pretty good options to choose from at this spot. My initial reaction was to draft based on need and select an edge rusher. I strongly considered selecting Missouri defensive end Zion Young. The other thought was to replenish the cornerback position, which was ransacked this offseason by players leaving due to trades and free agency. And if I’m being honest, I nearly pulled the trigger on selecting San Diego State’s Chris Johnson here. Another consideration was Colton Hood from Tennessee.

But in the end, I did what I think Brett Veach would have done, and I went with the best player available, who also happened to fill another huge need on this defense.

Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s scheme works best when he has a premier safety manning the back end of his defense, someone he can use as a movable chess piece, whether he's keeping him back deep or up in the slot to play coverage and occasionally blitz. It’s no coincidence that Spagnuolo’s Chiefs teams that won Super Bowls had either Justin Reid or Tyrann Mathieu as an on-field general in the secondary.

McNeil-Warren is my third-ranked safety in this draft, behind Caleb Downs and Dillon Thieneman. He is a long, aggressive ballhawk who gets downhill fast in run support. His coverage skills enable him to play man defense, and his football IQ and athleticism keep him around the ball at all times. He simply pops off the screen when you watch him play. At pick 29, a player of his caliber is a steal, especially considering he plays a position of need.