The Indianapolis Colts added a dynamic weapon for quarterbacks Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson, selecting former Penn State tight end Tyler Warren in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
“He’s really, really good,” an NFL tight ends coach told me recently, of Warren. “The definition of a playmaker in the passing game. Consummate competitor and has really good ball skills.”
Warren, 6-foot-6 and 261 pounds is one of the more versatile offensive playmakers in this year’s draft class, after developing into a bit of a big-play factory at Penn State whether lining up as an in-line tight end, in the slot, in the backfield, or even at quarterback–which he played in high school.
Last season, his first in new Nittany Lions offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki’s offense, Warren had a breakout campaign catching 104 of his 135 targets for 1,230 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 11.8 yards per reception.
Warren’s physicality makes him a dangerous playmaker in the open-field after the catch as well as a reliable red-zone target.
Tyler Warren Scouting Report
Leading up to the draft, Warren has drawn comparisons to New England Patriots legend Rob Gronkowski, and it’s easy to see why he was chosen so early in the draft.
Pro Football Focus points out that Warren’s 19 forced missed tackles were second among tight ends across the nation in 2024, and his 13 contested catches were third-most at the position.
“Warren plays with swagger and ‘best player on the field’ energy,” Lance Zierlein writes for NFL Media. “He imprints on games with alignment versatility, allowing opportunities for play-callers to stress the defense. Despite his size, he’s quick enough to beat man coverage underneath and plays with good recognition of holes in coverage. He has the ball skills and toughness to win contested catches and withstand punishing contact. He’s very capable as a lead/move blocker but will need a little improvement at sustaining blocks when blocking in-line.”
The rare combination of Warren’s versatility, toughness, and competitiveness gives him the chance to be an immediate impact player as a rookie this fall.
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