Anonymous NFL Execs Push Back on Hype Around Colts’ Tyler Warren Pick

Heading into the 2025 NFL Draft, most signs pointed to Penn State’s Tyler Warren as the Colts' likely pick. While there were rumblings about other positional needs, such as linebacker or interior offensive line, Warren appeared to be the most frequently mentioned name.

This common theme was justified, as when pick 14 rolled around last Thursday, the Colts selected Warren.

Now that the dust has settled following the draft, opinions have begun to form regarding teams’ selections. In an article published by The Athletic, anonymous NFL executives sounded off on the Warren selection, and their opinions on the pick aren’t as positive as many fans had hoped.

 

Although execs believe the Colts landed a solid player in a position of significant need, they feel Warren may not be the explosive playmaker he’s been billed as coming out of school.

“A tight end like (Colston) Loveland (chosen No. 10 by Chicago) is a dynamic athlete who can get open on his own and really affect the passing game,” one exec said. “That is more valuable to me than what the Colts are getting, because Warren is not running away from anyone, including middle linebackers.”

While this may be true, Warren’s toughness and reliability are qualities that the Colts desperately need from their tight end room. Coming into the draft, their depth chart included Mo Alie-Cox, Drew Ogletree, and Jelani Woods, none of whom have ever shown the level of talent that Warren possesses. Further, none have been able to be the reliable option many teams seek at tight end.

Warren gives the Colts exactly what they lacked: a reliable, versatile target. He has strong hands and a knack for working back to the ball, dropping just three of 135 targets in 2024.

These weren’t just stats boosted by easy looks, either. Warren was a go-to weapon all over the field. When his quarterback, Drew Allar, ran out of options, he often threw one up and trusted Warren to make a play.

Warren made him right almost every time, flashing the toughness, body control, and athleticism needed to consistently win on contested, high-point catches.

Warren also gives offensive coordinator Shane Steichen a rare kind of flexibility. At Penn State, he lined up everywhere - inline, in the slot, out wide, even in the backfield. That versatility opens the door for Steichen to get creative with matchups and formations.

Warren may not have top-end speed, but separation isn’t just about straight-line quickness. He wins with clean routes, subtle movement, and physicality at the top of the route. He may not blow past defenders, but he creates enough space to be a reliable target and has the hands to finish catches when he doesn’t.

Warren’s lack of long speed hasn’t limited his production with the ball in his hands, either. In 2024, 56.2% of his 1,233 receiving yards came after the catch—evidence of his ability to create through a combination of balance, short-area quickness, and physicality. He’s capable of making defenders miss in space and running through them when they square him up.

While the Colts have an explosive group of pass-catchers, Warren offers a different, much-needed flavor: reliability. He may not be a home-run threat like Brock Bowers, but he consistently hits doubles, keeping drives alive and doing the dirty work over the middle. With high-upside talent already in place, the Colts needed a consistent chain-mover. Warren fits that bill.