Insider notes on Mid-American Conference: Grading top prospects ft. Toledo's Tucker Gleason, Buffalo's Henry Tabansi, and more

The MAC had four players selected in the 2025 NFL draft, including a pair of third-rounders, Toledo defensive tackle Darius Alexander and Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. Presently no player from the conference holds a Day 2 grade, and the top prospects are underclassmen who could end up signing large NIL deals with a power-four school after this season.

The top prospects from the conference are both redshirt sophomores who line up at offensive tackle.

Cole Rhett is a long, athletic right tackle who started 13 games for Toledo last season. He’s a zone-blocking prospect who shows a lot of ability in pass protection, yet at the same time handles himself well as a run blocker. His ability to get to the second level and block in motion is impressive.

Henry Tabansi is the blindside protector at Buffalo and is slightly more agile on passing downs compared to Rhett. His footwork and movement skills are incredibly impressive, though Tabansi must improve his run-blocking strength. His measurements may push him to guard on Sundays, yet he offers a lot of potential for a zone-blocking scheme.

Tabansi benefits from playing alongside talented veterans on the Bulls offensive line, with Trevor Brock and Tyler Doty leading the way. Both are wide-bodied power blockers who consistently drive defenders off the ball and stand out in the running game. Each are projected as Day 3 prospects.

Safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren of Toledo gets a lot of love in the scouting community, and many I’ve spoken with grade him as a middle-round prospect. He’s a fluid center fielder with excellent range and next-level size. McNeil-Warren was limited to just eight games last season, yet he still collected 61 tackles and broke up five passes.

Teammate Avery Smith is a terrific outside cornerback for the school with next-level size and ball skills. He’s not a burner, yet he plays with instincts and could line up in dime packages on Sundays.

Tucker Gleason is one of the most underrated signal callers in the nation heading towards the season, in my opinion. Coming to Toledo by way of Georgia Tech, he possesses good size, arm strength and the athleticism to beat teams with his legs. He also came through for Toledo in several big spots last season. He needs to improve his accuracy, yet a good season will push Gleason into late-round conversation.

Gleason’s running back, Chip Trayanum, needs a rebound season. After showing skill as a rotational ball carrier for Ohio State in 2023, Trayanum transferred to Kentucky and was limited to just three games with a broken hand then later an ankle injury. He’s a power back with excellent quickness, but Trayanum needs a big season to push him into the final day of the draft.

MAC Prospects
Round	Grade	School	Full Name	Pos	Year	#
4th	3.52	Toledo	Cole Rhett	T	3So	74
4-5	3.48	Buffalo	Henry Tabansi	T	3So	73
6th	3.33	Toledo	Emmanuel McNeil-Warren	S	4Sr	7
6th	3.32	Toledo	Avery Smith	CB	4Sr	12
6th	3.31	Buffalo	Trevor Brock	G	5Sr	79
6-7	3.3	Toledo	Tucker Gleason	QB	5Sr	4
7th	3.29	Toledo	Chip Trayanum	RB	5Sr	3
7th	3.28	Northern Illinois	Evan Malcore	T	4Jr
7th	3.28	Toledo	Junior Vandeross III	WR	4Sr	2
7th	3.27	Buffalo	Tyler Doty	G	5Sr	78
7th	3.22	Buffalo	Al-Jay Henderson	RB	4Sr	5
FA	3.19	UMass	Ryan Mosesso	G	5Sr	79
FA	3.18	Northern Illinois	Roy Williams	DE	4Sr	97
FA	3.06	Western Michigan	Jalen Buckley	RB	4Jr	6
FA	3.05	Toledo	Avery Smith	CB	4Sr	12
FA	3.04	Miami-Oh	Dequan Finn	QB	7Sr	7
FA	3.02	Ball State	Adam Dolan	T	4Sr	77
FA	3.02	Toledo	Anthony Dunn Jr.	DE	4Sr	58
FA	3.01	Eastern Michigan	Terry Lockett Jr.	WR	6Sr	3
FA	3	Western Michigan	Aaron Wofford	S	4Sr	5
FA	2.88	Akron	Alex Adams	WO	5Sr	7