It’s way too early to crown Tyler Warren the next great Indianapolis Colts tight end, but the writing is on the wall for the 2024 John Mackey award-winner to be just that.
Selected with the No. 14 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Warren wasn’t the first tight end off the board, but his multi-dimensional playmaking in his final season at Penn State supports the argument that he should’ve been a top 10 selection if not the top tight end taken in the draft.
With Rob Gronkowski type size and athleticism, Warren is a versatile tight end who is coming off a season in which he caught 104 passes for 1,233 yards with 12 touchdowns. It was a breakout season for the former Nittany Lions star who just a year prior caught just 34 passes. And now, going from the classic Penn State uniform to the Colts classic uniform, Warren will quickly have an opportunity to become the guy at tight end for Indy and etch his name among some of the greats who also wore a Colts uniform.
Is Tyler Warren the best tight end since Dallas Clark?
When it comes to great Colts tight ends, there have been a few. Jack Doyle was the most recent to make his presence known at the position, but the one name long-time Colts fans will reference when they watch Warren play is Dallas Clark who is the second-leading tight end in franchise history when it comes to reception yards. In playing most of his career catching the ball from Peyton Manning, Clark was one of those playmakers who found ways to be clutch in key moments. Warren has that same type of pedigree.
Although quarterback is really a question mark for the Colts going into the 2025 NFL season, Warren should be a big and reliable target for whoever is under center. Just like Clark was in hid say and just how John Mackey, who is at the top of the list when it comes to all-time great tight ends in Colts history:
Top 5 tight ends in Indianapolis Colts history
Player | Reception Yards | Receptions |
|---|---|---|
John Mackey | 5,126 | 320 |
Dallas Clark | 4,887 | 427 |
Marcus Pollard | 3,391 | 263 |
Ken Dilger | 3,181 | 261 |
Jack Doyle | 2,729 | 295 |
What to expect in Year 1:
It’s ironic that Warren did win the award named after the one of the best tight ends to play in Indy. It’s very fitting given the Colts entered the draft with tight end as one of their biggest needs. What he showcased during his final season at Penn State is that he is not only a valuable playmaker, but also above all a football player. That is something Colts coaches and players will love. What tight ends coach Tom Manning will also love is finding ways to fit his versatility into the offense.
“With a guy that is so versatile, I think those things get really interesting to see how you fit those within the framework of Josh Downs and (Michael) Pittman and (Alec) Pierce and AD (Adonai Mitchell) and all those guys,” Manning said, via the team’s official website. “So I think putting all those together with also JT (Jonathan Taylor) and those guys back there, I think its going to be a really unique and fun opportunity.”
It should be an opportunity Warren benefits from as he could have an historic rookie season with the Colts, especially if he finds his niche in the offense immediately.