The Indianapolis Colts are getting solid grades from the experts following the 2025 NFL Draft. Nothing glowing, but no one is ripping them either, which is always nice.
Many thought they were very fortunate that Penn St. tight end Tyler Warren slipped to them in the first round at No. 14 and they are probably right. There were many draftniks who thought he’d never make it past the New York Jets at No. 7. So, it seems they did well to start.
The full Colts draft class
Here is the Colts entire class:
First round, No. 14 overall (The pick: Penn State TE Tyler Warren)
Second round, No. 45 overall (The pick: Ohio State DE J.T. Tuimoloau)
Third round, No. 80 overall (The pick: Minnesota CB Justin Walley)
Fourth round, No. 127 overall (The pick: Iowa State OT Jalen Travis)
Fifth round, No. 151 overall (The pick: Kansas State RB D.J. Giddens)
Sixth round, No. 189 overall (The pick: Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard)
Sixth round, No. 190 overall (The pick: Alabama DT Tim Smith)
Seventh round, No. 232 overall (The pick: Wisconsin LB Hunter Wohler)
What the experts are saying about the Colts draft
The experts’ opinions are in and it seems like they can all agree that Warren was a steal in the first round. If he’s half the guy that these analysts think he’ll be, he’ll be a heck of a player.
USA Today
Grade: B
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz: “First-round TE Tyler Warren fell into their lap at No. 14 – and could be ideal for a team that ought to be running the ball while providing help to its muddled quarterback situation … which has a new ingredient in sixth-rounder Riley Leonard, most recently of Notre Dame. Second-round DE JT Tuimoloau arrives at the intersection of value and need.”
New York Post
Grade: B
Ryan Dunleavy: “The multi-year search for a tight end is over. And it ended with great value as the multi-dimensional Warren fell to No. 15. Tuimoloau had 6.5 sacks in four College Football Playoff games. There were several better cornerbacks available at No. 80 than Walley.”
ESPN
Grade: B
Mel Kiper Jr.: “Two more picks to call out. JT Tuimoloau had 12 sacks last season, and the Colts ranked 31st in the NFL with a 26.2% pressure rate in 2024. He has a lot of upside as a second-rounder. And running back DJ Giddens will be a good backup to Jonathan Taylor. Giddens broke 1,200 rushing yards in each of the past two seasons.”
CBS Sports
Grade: C+
Chris Trapasso: “Walley went early for my liking, and I didn’t see an NFL future for Riley Leonard, although the quarterback spot is far from secured on this team. The middle of this class was better than the beginning and the end.”
Pro Football Focus
Grade: B+
PFF: “Tyler Warren is everything NFL offenses look for at tight end: a do-it-all player with day-one impact in the run and pass games. The Penn State standout earned an impressive 93.4 PFF receiving grade this past season with incredible efficiency, having averaged 2.78 yards per route run (97th percentile). Anthony Richardson now has a full complement of playmakers to roll with into the 2025 campaign.”
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Experts Weigh in on Colts 2025 Full Draft