Shh…Don’t tell anyone, but Tyler Warren might be my favorite Colts player.
Yes, Jonathan Taylor is stealing the headlines right now. Stealing…? Ok, not stealing, but you get the idea. All the talk is about Taylor and well deserved. He is ripping off huge runs, breaking franchise records, and carrying this team at times. The present is all about Taylor. The future, well, that has Taylor in it too, but if things continue like they are, a large chunk of it will be all about Warren. What fans of the Indianapolis Colts have seen on the field to start his career has been more than anyone could have hoped.
The stats show the big man has 50 receptions for 617-yards and three touchdowns. Those are incredibly impactful numbers for any rookie but especially strong considering how bad this tight end unit was last year. He has beaten the tar out of last year’s numbers all on his own. Those are the stats, but just like with most players, the stats don’t tell the whole tale.
Stampede Blue’s own, Jay Robins, has gone as far as throwing Warren’s name into the ring as an All-Pro fullback. It may be a bit tongue in cheek, but then again, not really.
But then he can line up at H Tight End and embrace the Fullback side. From this spot Warren combines the devastating power of the 3 yards and a cloud of dust mentality that the pre NFL and AFL-merger era of football was known for…
Did you expect this from Warren? Maybe you did. Maybe you consumed his game at a high level and witnessed how Penn State utilized him all over the field. I imagine the casual and even more involved fans of the Colts didn’t, however. Even if you tout yourself as one who did, did you think he would have so much success at the next level so quickly? Come on now, don’t lie…The Chicago Bears didn’t. Neither did the other teams that picked before the Colts. Everyone knew he had talent. Not everyone knew he could come in so pro-ready and able to elevate this offense to such extremes.
Regardless, Warren can do it all. Whether he is blowing people up from the fullback position or running over people and dragging defenders down the field, Warren appears to be in his tenth year. Look no further for an example of his poise than last week in Berlin. With time ticking down and the Colts needing a first down to stay alive, Warren plucked a contested ball out of the air and rumbled for big yardage. Daniel Jones and the Colts’ coaching staff are demonstrating they have the ultimate confidence in him. That is big time.
Tyler Warren was the best pick the Colts could have possibly made. Some have referred to him as “Gronk-like”. There is a ways to go towards that front, but the big frame makes for an easy target and a hard one to take down. Hopefully, we won’t see Warren wearing the same type of robo-arm out there, but the comparison is welcomed. This is but a taste of things to come. Could there be a sophomore slump? Sure. Could this be the launching pad for an unbelievable career that only takes off from here? Yeah…that is where my money is for Warren.
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