Many NFL Draft analysts didn’t think that Penn State tight end Tyler Warren would be available at the No. 14 pick this year when the Indianapolis Colts made their selection. Especially when you had tight-end-needy teams like the New York Jets and Chicago Bears picking in front of him.
But alas, the Jets went in a different direction at No. 7, taking offensive tackle Armand Membou out of Missouri. And the Bears did indeed take a tight end, but they opted for Colston Loveland from Michigan. That left the Colts with Warren and, so far, they are elated with their choice.
Colts‘ head coach Shane Steichen even went so far (maybe too far) as to compare him to an all-time great and recent entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Antonio Gates.
“I think he’s got a natural feel for the game,” Steichen said of the similarities. “I think he has an awareness for zones and voids in the defense as he’s running routes.”
No pressure, Tyler.
The Colts are going to use Tyler Warren a lot
One thing that stood out in the Colts’ preseason opener against the Baltimore Ravens was how often they went to Warren. Sure, he only caught three passes for 40 yards, but he also wasn’t out there long (nor should he have been).
This stands out to anyone who watched Warren at Penn State because this is exactly what they did with him there. Every down it seemed like they wanted him involved, to the point where I wouldn’t have been shocked if they had him punting and kicking extra points.
Based on Steichen’s comments, we can probably expect to see more of that.
“But, the one thing that’s really impressive about him is he’s got unbelievable hands,” Steichen continued. “And then, when he’s out in open space, he’s so physical at the point of attack. He’s going to lower his shoulder and go after you, so I love that about him.”
Antonio Gates might be the best tight end of all time
You’ll certainly get some arguments on this one. But, is Gates the best tight end of all time? Without even cracking open the stats, you’ll immediately hear from the Tony Gonzalez and Rob Gronkowski folks. That’s fine, but imagine how great Gates would have been if he actually played college football? (he’s the first Hall of Famer to never play a snap).
Let’s let the Hall of Fame extol his virtues:
Gates broke onto the scene in his second pro season, recording 81 receptions for 964 yards and 13 touchdowns, tied for the third most in a single season in franchise history. He earned the first of eight Pro Bowl nods and led the team in receiving, something he would accomplish a total of eight times (2004-09, 2011, 2013). The following season, Gates built on the prior year’s success, catching 89 passes for 1,101 yards and 10 scores.
For his career, Gates topped 60 receptions in nine seasons, surpassing 700 yards receiving in each of those years. He played on six teams that qualified for the playoffs, with the Chargers claiming the best record in the AFC West Division each season.
His career numbers read: 955 receptions for 11,841 yards, both third most among tight ends at the time of his retirement, and 116 touchdowns, the most all time for the position. Gates played in 236 regular-season games and 12 playoff games, in which he recorded 51 catches for 540 yards, finding the end zone twice.
It’s beyond unfair to even ask, but I will anyway: Can Tyler Warren compare to that?
Indianapolis Colts’ Head Coach Compares Rookie to Hall of Famer