Finding Broncos: Scouting Penn State TE Tyler Warren

The Denver Broncos have been linked to multiple tight ends through the pre-draft process. And the Broncos have invited several for pre-draft visits.

The top tight end in the class is Penn State's Tyler Warren. What's so special about the consensus No. 1 tight end in the 2025 NFL draft?

Let's dive into Warren's scouting report.

Biography

Warren will turn 23 on May 24. He initially committed to playing football at Virginia Tech before decommitting, opening recruitment, and landing at Penn State.

Size & Athleticism

Standing at 6-foot-6 and 256 pounds, Warren has the ideal size for a tight end. His athleticism is good enough to be used at the NFL level in various ways.

Key Statistic

Warren had the second-highest yards after the catch among college tight ends last year with 693 yards. His 6.7 yards after the catch per reception ranked 16th out of 52 draft-eligible tight ends.

Pros

Warren's character, attitude, and medicals are unquestioned. He has the traditional size and makeup to be a great NFL tight end while providing a versatile weapon for an offense. Warren is the type of player coaches love, as he is willing to do whatever is asked of him to help the team, and he is a fierce competitor who is easy to coach.

Warren's hands and catch technique are clean and natural, allowing him to pluck the ball out of the air. When he secures the catch, he quickly turns upfield to pick up extra yards.

Warren also has excellent contact balance and is a smooth runner, making it easy to pick up extra yards. He does well boxing out the catch point when he deals with physicality during the catch phase.

The route running from Warren is excellent for a tight end, with nuances that are rare to see at the position. He knows how to vary his speed and to sell fakes with his head and shoulders. It can be hard to defend Warren with his size and athleticism because he can win suddenly or box out most defenders.

Warren has plenty of big moments to show off his play strength as a blocker. His lower-body technique, with his footwork, is NFL-ready. The grip strength helps sustain blocks.

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Cons

The blocking technique with Warren's hands and upper body is inconsistent and leads to some whiffs. His target acquisition on the move can also be hit or miss. Both elements must be coached and developed for more consistency in the NFL.

There are reps with Warren that can be labeled breath-catcher reps, likely due to the Penn State offense running through him more than conditioning issues. Even so, that's something to keep an eye on.

Despite the athleticism, Warren may not be a seam-runner in the NFL. Overall, he's a clean prospect, but most of the concerns around his game are nitpicky.

Fit With Broncos

Even with Evan Engram in the fold, the Broncos still need more tight end help. While Engram is more of a big receiver than a tight end, Warren is more of an in-line tight end.

Warren has the traits to make an immediate impact, with additional development as a blocker, instead of needing a traditional timetable for tight ends.