Colts' TE Tyler Warren Already Deemed Elite by Rest of NFL

The worst-kept secret throughout the 2025 pre-draft process was that the Indianapolis Colts were heavily linked to consensus top tight end prospect Tyler Warren.

The Colts disregarded the position throughout free agency and entered the 2025 NFL Draft with the same uninspired room they had rolled out for the previous few years, which only made the idea of them drafting a tight end in the first round that much more concrete.

There was another first-round tight end prospect in that cycle, Colston Loveland, but the Colts were attached to Warren due to his combination of offensive versatility and day-one readiness.

As fate would have it, Warren fell into their lap at pick No. 14, and the Colts finally had a viable starting tight end for the first time since Jack Doyle retired ahead of the 2022 season.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler has begun rolling out the site's annual summer series that polls various executives, coaches, and scouts from around the league on which players are the best at their respective positions, with the most recent installment covering tight ends.

Tyler Warren made the cut as one of the NFL's top 10 tight ends after just one season into his pro career, and we're breaking down why this, albeit subjective, honor is merely the beginning for what should be an illustrious career in Indianapolis.

NFL's Opinion of Tyler Warren

Out of all tight ends league-wide, Tyler Warren has been deemed the fifth-best after an impressive rookie campaign. The lowest he was ranked was 10th, and the highest was 3rd overall.

Warren had lofty expectations entering the NFL after his college days showcased a unicorn of sorts at the position. He took snaps as a passcatcher at tight end, wide receiver, the slot, and even carried the ball from both the running back and wildcat quarterback positions.

His versatility was intriguing on its own and resulted in his aforementioned constant mocking to the Colts due to head coach Shane Steichen's deep playbook, but many assumed he wouldn't be as effective at the next level, and Warren quickly proved them wrong in year one.

Warren was lined up at tight end for just 51.8% of the time in 2025, according to Pro Football Focus, and spent the rest of his time in the slot and out wide, or in the backfield as a fullback, and even took snaps as a wildcat quarterback.

Front office members across the NFL took notice of Warren's quick acclimation to the league, and already view him as an effective in-line tight end that the league has recently gotten away from.

"He lived up to expectations," an NFC scout said. "He's a true Y who can handle the point-of-attack run game assignments but carried over his versatile, game-impacting receiving ability that showed up during his Penn State days."

The NFL has become a pass-centric league in recent years, which means the tight end position has seen a drastic uptick in pseudo-TEs who serve more as a third passcatcher than as a stereotypical tight end who blocks first and catches passes second.

There are still plenty of tight ends around the league who fit the previous mold, but Warren's ability to do both at a high level makes him stand out.

"He can kick your ass in the run game on one play and win as a receiver on the next," an NFL personnel evaluator said.

Understanding Warren's Greatness

The Colts' second-year tight end burst onto the scene and earned Pro Bowl honors as a rookie. He quickly became one of Daniel Jones's favorite targets and kept producing even after Jones went down for the year with a torn Achilles.

Warren's 817 receiving yards broke a franchise record for most yards by a Colts' rookie tight end, and added five touchdowns (4 receiving, 1 rushing). He had a team-high 112 targets, was second in receptions (76), and finished third among all rookies in receiving yards.

But Warren's raw numbers, while impressive in their own right, are just a piece of the puzzle when it comes to his overall value on offense.

Warren's game, even as a rookie, is littered with veteran tendencies. The nuance within his game should only allow him to continue evolving throughout his NFL career.

This is veteran savviness on full display for a rookie tight end in Tyler Warren.

His innate ability to remain aware mid-route and find space after the catch is so impressive. Forget peripheral vision, it's almost as if Warren has eyes in the back of his head. #Colts pic.twitter.com/AUw95Atd5r
— Noah Compton (@nerlens_) September 15, 2025

The 6'6", 256-pound offensive weapon proved to be much more than a tight end in his first season in the NFL, and it's impressive just how effective he is no matter where he lines up. Warren is most comfortable as a true Y, but he makes opposing teams pay from anywhere on the field.

The Colts don't just have a viable starting tight end in Tyler Warren for the foreseeable future; they have a potential franchise cornerstone whose ability to be a legitimate chess piece offensively has already deemed him one of the best in the league at his position after just one season.

Head coach Shane Steichen is undeniably the driving force behind unlocking Warren's greatness early on, so as long as the two can stay together in Indianapolis, dividends will continue to be paid for the Colts.

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