ESPN Reveals Favorite Colts Draft Fit

The Indianapolis Colts sit in an interesting spot with their first-round pick during this year's NFL draft.

Following a disappointing 8-9 season in the books, the Colts can turn toward either side of the ball with their top selection in the draft, even after making a few intriguing improvements to the defensive end through free agency. Indianapolis could utilize a nice young spark into their lineup wherever they could get it, and 14th-overall presents a perfect opportunity to do so.

But in the eyes of ESPN analyst Matt Bowen, there's one name that stands out amongst the crowd as his favorite fit for the Colts with their first-round pick: Penn State's Tyler Warren.

"In Indianapolis, Warren would open up the middle of the field in the pass game," Bowen wrote. "He would also give coach Shane Steichen more opportunities to script matchups out of 11 and 12 personnel groupings. Warren had 104 catches for 1,233 yards and eight touchdowns last season. He reminds me of George Kittle on tape. He can work multiple levels as a receiver, and he's a rugged mover after the catch. Warren will secure the edges as a run blocker, too. He'd be a great fit with Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson."

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Combining Warren's elite season at Penn State, along with the Colts' glaring need at the tight end position, it makes the pairing of these two too good to pass up if the opportunity is there at pick 14.

Indianapolis hasn't had a tight end on the roster to log over 500 receiving yards since the 2018 season, and Warren would be a surefire bet to change that trend for the better. During his 2024 campaign with Penn State, he finished with a team-best 104 catches, 1,233 yards, and eight touchdowns through his 16 appearances.

For an offense that hasn't had a high-end threat at tight end for over half a decade, Warren's services would be a massive get for the Colts and Anthony Richardson. However, the question becomes whether they'll be fortunate enough to land him at pick 14. The Penn State tight end has been a consistent riser and hot topic in recent weeks, which could lead him to be taken closer to the top ten instead of landing in the middle of the first.

Regardless, the task remains simple if Warren's there for the Colts at 14: take the man.

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