There had been much speculation about what the Indianapolis Colts would do in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Yes, they need to improve their defense (they couldn’t tackle anyone last year), they needed a tight end and some thought they may even take a quarterback considering their murky situation at the position.
But, after all the opinions and speculation were over and the bullets were live and flying at the draft, the Colts made their pick. To the surprise of some, Penn State tight end Tyler Warren fell to No. 14 and the Colts pounced.
The general consensus in the months leading up to the draft was that Warren was the best tight end in the draft (he still might be). However, as the draft got closer, more people were beginning to think that Michigan tight end Colston Loveland would go first. As it turns out, Loveland did, going No. 10 to the Chicago Bears.
Experts weigh in
And now the draft analysis begins. Hopefully, you aren’t one of the people that reads post-draft grades with anything but skepticism. It takes three years to really grade a draft, so when “experts” write on Monday that Team X or Team Y gets a “D” or an “F” it’s absolute nonsense and should be treated as such.
That doesn’t mean it’s not fun to read the opinions! NFL Next Gen Stats loves Warren’s unique skill set and versatility. Penn State forced Warren the ball constantly and looked to get him involved as much as possible – in any way possible – that they could.
Last year, general manager Chris Ballard tried and failed to move up to a position where he could have selected Brock Bowers. This year, he didn’t have to move for a player with similar upside, letting the board come to him and deliver one of the best all-around players in the draft. According to the Next Gen Stats draft model, Warren earned the second-highest overall draft score (92) in this year’s class, while his production score (98) ranks third among tight ends over the last five draft classes.
A true three-down contributor, Warren brings immediate value as both a receiver and blocker. He’s a top-10 talent who fell into the teens as teams above Indy appeared to prioritize more premium positions. Warren will look to elevate a tight end room that recorded a league-low 232 yards after the catch in 2024. The last Colts tight end to record more than 500 receiving yards in a season? Eric Ebron in 2018 (750).
One of the best friends of any young quarterback is a good tight end as a safety valve. Frank Schwab of Yahoo! Sports thinks Warren should be a big benefit to Anthony Richardson (or Daniel Jones if he should win the job).
“The move should help Anthony Richardson, or Daniel Jones if Jones ends up winning the starting job. Richardson has had a dreadful completion percentage since he was the Colts’ first-round pick two years ago, and having a versatile piece like Warren for some easy completions should help.
“Warren burst onto the scene last season with 104 catches for 1,233 yards. Penn State came up with creative ways to get him the ball, even using him a little bit as a wildcat quarterback. The Colts had to like that versatility when they watched his tape.”
Ballard is excited about the pick
While accolades from outside experts are nice, the most important thing is that a team is truly excited about their selection. With so many experts predicting that Warren would go to the New York Jets at No. 7, the Colts would have been correct in thinking that this talent wouldn’t last until No. 14. But, alas, he did and the Colts are the beneficiary of his slide.
“He brings an element of toughness that I thought we needed to add offensively,” Colts general manager Chris Ballard said.
Ballard knows Warren wasn’t expected to last until the middle of the first round.
“Sometimes you get lucky,” Ballard said.
“(Kotelnicki) knew he had a unique player, and he found unique ways to use him,” Ballard continued. “I think Shane will find unique ways to use him. … (Warren) can play in the backfield, he’s a great 50-50 ball catcher, and he’s violent after the catch.”
“I think it speaks to his football IQ,” Ballard said. “They put a lot on that kid’s plate and he handled all of it.”
The Colts knew they needed a tight end and many think they got the best one in the draft. Warren was the 2024 winner of the Mackey Award in 2024, given to the best tight end in all of college football (named after former Colts pioneering tight end and Hall of Famer John Mackey).
Instant Analysis on Colts First-Round Pick