The Player the 49ers Most Likely Will Draft with the 33rd Pick
No picks on Day 1 of the NFL draft were made by the San Francisco 49ers.
Instead, they chose to trade out of the round and recoup/strengthen their picks. It was a wise move by them, and one that was obvious for them to make after John Lynch's pre-draft presser.
All eyes will be on Day 2 of the draft for the 49ers, as they kick the second round off with the No. 33 pick. And just like it was obvious that they'd trade out of the first round, there's an obvious player for them to pick at 33.
The obvious player to draft is...
It has to be Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren. Drafting him would address the best of both worlds for the 49ers. It fills a need and is one of the best players available.
Let's start with why they need him. The 49ers don't have the talent at the safety position. Ji'Ayir Brown is gone after 2026, and even if he wasn't, he's no better than average on a good day.
Malik Mustapha plummeted after a promising rookie season, and he's only at his best playing in the box. As for Marques Sigle, he's a solid run defender and can defend well in pass coverage.
But he's lacking a playmaker ability to give him that true starting-caliber position. He's a work in progress. McNeil-Warren is one as well, but he can step in and immediately start.
He's better than every safety the 49ers have. McNeil-Warren has the vast experience (three-year starter) that coaches like Kyle Shanahan and Raheem Morris would.
His size and speed are excellent, which allows him to play the run well from a high position and be rangy in pass coverage. The 49ers haven't had a safety that can do both exceptionally well since Jimmie Ward.
Not to mention that McNeil-Warren has a knack for creating turnovers. He's caused nine forced fumbles and reeled in five interceptions. The 49ers need that on their defense.
Their current safeties aren't doing any of that. McNeil-Warren can help with that, and under the guidance of Morris, whose background is in defensive backs, he can become a terrific player.
Now, the downside with him is that he can whiff on some plays. Either he'll whiff a tackle, take an incorrect angle on a running back, or give up a play over the top due to a coverage bust.
But that's something the 49ers can work on with him. He already has the floor to love and the physical skills to be fond of. It's time the 49ers get their anchor at safety once and for all.
Unfortunately, I'm not too confident McNeil-Warren gets drafted. The 49ers will likely go with a guard to bolster their offensive line, despite the obvious choice with McNeil-Warren.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/49ers/onsi as The Player the 49ers Most Likely Will Draft with the 33rd Pick.
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This story was originally published April 24, 2026 at 8:00 AM.