Indianapolis, IN — The Indianapolis Colts are fresh off another disappointing season, but of course, it wasn’t all bad. There were some individual breakout performances from established players, headlined by wide receiver Alec Pierce, while the Colts’ 2025 draft class provided both production for the season and promise for the future.
This article kicks off a short but sweet series that will recap each of the Colts’ eight 2025 draftees, beginning with their first draft selection, tight end Tyler Warren. We will go through the list in its original order with three phases in mind: post-draft expectations, rookie season results, and then capping it off with future outlooks.
Expectations — Tyler Warren had the biggest post-draft expectations among the Colts’ draft class, though that is almost a given as he was the team’s first-round pick (14th overall).
Despite the draft class boasting one of the best tight end groups in recent memory, he stood out alongside Chicago’s Colston Loveland as one of the most talented and surefire selections at the position.
Warren was not only an easy evaluation by the draftnik community, but was regarded as the most pro-ready prospect amongst all tight ends coming out. Given that Indianapolis was most desperate for tight end production, particularly as a passcatcher, and also deemed their roster as being a few pieces away from competing, this addition felt inevitable. As fate would have it, Tyler Warren became a Colt.
Rookie Season — As alluded to, Warren was essentially expected to set the league on fire as early as his rookie season, and he did just that. Add in his versatility as an offensive weapon and how head coach Shane Steichen utilized him, and you see not only how seamless the pairing was, but why Warren to Indianapolis felt more inevitable than any first overall pick of recent memory.
Tyler Warren was everything the Colts needed offensively, while also proving to have more blocking chops as a year-one player than most had anticipated. He was second on the team in receiving with 76 receptions for 817 yards and 4 touchdowns, and even ran one in for the score. Additionally, Warren’s overall impact when lined up at fullback suggested that he be considered for an All-Pro bid at the position, though he unfortunately was not.
Accolades-wise, Warren is no stranger. He became the franchise’s leader in receiving yards by a rookie tight end, surpassing Hall-of-Fame tight end John Mackey’s 726 yards from the 1936 season. He also led his aforementioned wildly talented tight end draftees in receptions (76) and receiving yards (817), a group that featured six tight ends who amassed 350+ yards, four of whom totaled 650+ yards.
Future Outlook — Tyler Warren has translated to the next level almost exactly as expected. His unanticipated progression as a blocker only adds optimism for what’s to come.
He’s set to be the Colts’ starting tight end for the remainder of his rookie contract, fifth-year option included. Without getting too ahead of ourselves, there’s even a likely scenario that Warren remains a Colt for life, so long as health and success remain the constant heartbeat that they’ve been for him over the past two seasons.
Warren has been consistent in his media availability throughout his rookie season, citing ‘winning’ as his ultimate goal at any given moment. He takes pride in his willingness to do the dirty work, while his top-tier passcatching prowess raises the bar entirely. Whether or not he ends up the ‘best’ tight end from this loaded draft class, it’s shaping up to be a safe bet that he is, at least, the Colts’ newest installment of franchise tight ends.
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