Tyler Warren

Colts Draft TE Tyler Warren At No. 14

April 24th, 2025 at 8:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

Without needing to trade up, the Colts have landed a prospect they have long been connected to. Indianapolis has selected Penn State tight end Tyler Warren.

Late Warren-Indianapolis rumors swirled this afternoon, but the Colts have been linked to bolstering their long-dormant tight end cadre for a while. The Colts have not churned out a 400-yard tight end receiving yardage season in the 2020s; they are now bringing in a player coming off a 1,200-yard campaign during his final college slate.

Indianapolis scheduled an early meeting with Warren, who shredded defenses last season to the tune of 104 catches, 1,233 yards and eight touchdowns. Although Warren posted a seven-touchdown 2023 season, last year was a full-on breakout showing for a dynamic player who played a central role in the Nittany Lions reaching the CFP semifinal round. The 6-foot-5 pass catcher will be expected to step in immediately to help Anthony Richardson (or Daniel Jones).

Warren-Bears ties emerged during the draft runup as well, but a late report indicated Chicago preferred Michigan’s Colston Loveland. That turned out to be accurate, as the NFC North team went with the ex-Wolverines contributor at No. 10. Despite Warren-Jets connections also coming out, the Colts did not need to trade up to address perhaps their biggest need.

With Jelani Woods missing the past two seasons, Colts tight ends have largely been M.I.A. Although the team brought back Mo Alie-Cox, Indy gave the ex-basketball player a pay cut upon re-signing him. The Colts simply have been unable to count on anyone at tight end this decade, but that should change with Warren.

The five-year Big Ten performer will join a host of rookie-contract wide receivers, players whose talents have largely been unable to boost Richardson. The wildly inaccurate passer is entering a crossroads season, with Jones representing real competition. Warren stands to serve as a key short- and mid-range option for Richardson and/or Jones, and the Colts predictably used Round 1 to check a rather important item off their offseason to-do list.

Draft Notes: Jets, Panthers, Warren, Cousins

April 24th, 2025 at 6:53pm CST by Adam La Rose

Set to select seventh overall, the Jets sit in an interesting position as things stand. A number of options will be available to the new regime of Darren Mougey and Aaron Glenn, many of which have already been mentioned.

Another one has emerged as the countdown to the first round nears its end. SNY’s Connor Hughes reports receiver Tetairoa McMillan has specifically been named as a potential target. The Arizona product has seen his stock shift over the course of the pre-draft process, but hearing his name called early tonight remains a distinct possibility.

Glenn has been reported to be pushing a defensive addition on Day 1, but Hughes notes the selection of an offensive lineman or a skill-position player remains the focus of attention around the team. Right tackle represents a need, while selecting a receiver or tight end would add to an offense which has undergone plenty of changes this offseason. If McMillan is on the board at No. 7, it will be interesting to see how the team proceeds. A pursuit of running back Ashton Jeanty – the subject of trade-up efforts by the Bears – meanwhile, should not be expected, ESPN’s Rich Cimini adds.

Here are some other last-minute draft notes:

For now, at least, the Panthers are scheduled to select after the Jets. Trading down has long loomed as a possibility for general manager Dan Morgan, and that remains the case at this point. If Carolina stays at No. 8, The Athletic’s Joe Person reports Jalon Walker is still the “presumed pick” as things stand. That comes as no surprise given the long-running links to the Georgia linebacker/edge rusher. Otherwise, Person names Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham as an option, along with McMillan if the team is moved toward an offensive addition.
Tyler Warren is considered one of two first-round locks at the tight end spot. He is a strong candidate to be drafted in the top 10 as a result, but teams outside that range are interested as well. The Colts are among them, per Hughes. That comes as no surprise, given the constant connections made between Indianapolis and the team targeting a TE move with Warren or Michigan’s Colston Loveland. The Colts own pick No. 14, so a trade up the board would be required for Warren in particular.
Moves up and down the order have reportedly received consideration in the case of the Broncos. The latest update on that front comes from Person’s colleague Dianna Russini, who reports Denver is looking to trade up from No. 20. A running back or other skill-position player could be the target of such a move, depending on where in the order the team lands. Since the Broncos own the pick one spot before the Steelers (a potential QB landing spot), they will remain a team to watch closely in any event.
How things shake out at the quarterback position will be key as it pertains to Kirk Cousins. The veteran looms as an option for teams which are unable to select a rookie this weekend as he seeks a fresh start and starting opportunity. Underdog Fantasy’s James Palmer reports Cousins could waive his no-trade clause as early as tomorrow based on the QB landscape at that point. Day 2 looms as a time when many teams could add signal-callers, however, and Palmer adds a more likely scenario would be for the one-year Falcons passer to wait until after the first three rounds take place to decide on how he wants to proceed. Cousins, 36, wants to avoid a repeat of how Atlanta operated last offseason but by the end of the draft there could of course be few (if any) suitors left in need of a short-term addition under center.

Jets, Saints In Mix For Jalon Walker; Panthers Remain High On LB

April 24th, 2025 at 9:04am CST by Sam Robinson

Recovering from a quad injury during the pre-draft process, Jalon Walker‘s stock has been climbing since his recent belated pro day. The Georgia linebacker seems a safe bet to become a top-10 pick.

Mentioned as a potential Patriots wild-card pick at No. 4 overall, Walker has not received as much buzz about a Foxborough destination compared to LSU tackle Will Campbell. If the Pats do end up filling their LT need at 4, it should not be expected Walker falls far. A few other top-10 teams are closely monitoring Georgia’s top 2025 prospect.

While Ashton Jeanty seems a safe bet not to fall past No. 6, as a run of Jaguars and Raiders rumors have circulated, Las Vegas has also been connected to bolstering its O-line at No. 6. A hybrid player who has operated as an edge rusher and off-ball linebacker, Walker could conceivably be on the Raiders’ radar too. After all, this week represents is the smokescreen Super Bowl, but he is primarily being tied to the teams holding picks from Nos. 7-9.

The Panthers, who did not make a strong effort to replace Brian Burns last year, have probably been the team most closely linked to Walker. Although Carolina did not send a large contingent to Walker’s Athens pro day earlier this month, The Athletic’s Joe Person indicates NFL personnel believe Dan Morgan and Dave Canales remain high on the intriguing front-seven piece. It is possible, however, Walker fails to reach No. 8. The Jets have been tied to O-linemen or potentially Tyler Warren at No. 7, but ESPN.com’s Matt Miller projects them to draft Walker. While the team certainly needs more help on offense compared to defense, Miller points to the team eyeing an impact defender and culture fit — ahead of Aaron Glenn‘s first season in charge — in Round 1.

Considering the growing buzz on Walker, the Saints might need to look elsewhere at No. 9. But they are believed to be in on Walker as well, per NFL.com’s Jane Slater. New Orleans, however, has also done plenty of work on Michigan DT Mason Graham and Arizona wideout Tetairoa McMillan, Slater adds. Warren has also come up here, per Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz.

Graham no longer looks likely to go to the Jaguars at 5, and while Michigan alums are now running the Raiders (which is something to monitor re: a D-tackle pick at 6), the player who has long been viewed as this draft’s top interior presence could fall toward the lower end of the top 10.

The Saints picked up Chris Olave‘s fifth-year option Wednesday, and they have Rashid Shaheed coming back from injury to join the returning Brandin Cooks. New Orleans has been on the radar for a first-round receiver in recent years, however.

The team also doled out a $10.25MM-per-year deal to retain Juwan Johnson, while Foster Moreau and Taysom Hill remain rostered at tight end. Hill, of course, roves around the formation and is now going into an age-35 season (and coming off an injury). Warren coming off a 1,200-yard season also has enticed teams; the Penn State tight end should not need to wait too long tonight.

Jets Could Target Jahdae Barron, Tyler Warren, Armand Membou At No. 7

April 22nd, 2025 at 4:54pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron has steadily moved up draft boards over the last few months and could be selected in the first 10 picks on Thursday night, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Barron has long been expected to be a first-round pick, but he’s never reached consensus top-10 status. However, he is “in position to go higher than some realize,” according to Schefter, who specifically named the Jets at No. 7 as a potential landing spot. New head coach (and former longtime NFL cornerback) Aaron Glenn may target the versatile defensive back to form an exciting cornerback duo with Sauce Gardner.

After leaks and drama plagued the Robert Saleh–Joe Douglas regime, Glenn has cut down on the information coming out of the organization, making their plans for their first-round pick a mystery. They invited a number of prospective top-10 picks for official visits, including Michigan DT Mason Graham and Georgia edge rusher Mykel Willams.

However, the Jets’ primary target has long been thought to be Penn State tight end Tyler Warren, who “recently and quietly” visited the team, according to Schefter. Warren is widely considered the best tight end in the 2025 draft class, a sentiment shared by some in New York who want to take him with the seventh overall pick. The Jets let Tyler Conklin walk in free agency and lack a clear long-term starter on their current roster, making Warren an easy selection to fill an obvious need.

Schefter also mentioned Missouri offensive tackle Armand Membou as a potential Jets target. He could replace right tackle Morgan Moses, who signed with the Patriots in free agency.

However, contrary to the front office’s desire for Warren, Glenn prefers to take a defensive player with the No. 7 pick, according to Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline. That could turn the Jets’ attention to Barron, whose versatility to play outside cornerback, nickel, or safety could open up Glenn’s schematic options in the secondary.

Jets Doing Extensive Tyler Warren Work; Team Eyeing Armand Membou?

April 13th, 2025 at 3:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

Retooling after a failed Aaron Rodgers experiment, they have new decision-makers set for their first draft. As Darren Mougey prepares for his first Jets draft, two names are coming up as players to monitor at No. 7 overall.

Although the team was listed as a potential stealth destination for Shedeur Sanders weeks ago, a Jets QB move appears likelier on Day 2. Justin Fields will be given the chance to reboot as a starter, after a season spent mostly as a backup, and help may well be coming for the team’s $20MM-per-year passer. The choice between a weapon or a blocker may come by the time the Jets go on the clock.

Mentioned as a team infatuated with Tyler Warren weeks ago, the Jets indeed have been doing extensive homework on the 2024 John Mackey Award winner, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini notes. Warren landing spots appear to begin with the Jets at 7, even though the Jaguars (No. 5) recently released Evan Engram. One team in the top 10 had canceled a workout with the Penn State product, which could mean any Colts effort to snag Warren will prove futile absent a notable trade-up.

The Jets did not see their C.J. Uzomah signing pay off, and they opted to let fellow 2022 signee Tyler Conklin walk after his contract expired. Conklin signed with the Chargers, leaving a big hole at the position in New York. Mougey praised 2023 third-round pick Jeremy Ruckert (35 career catches, no TDs) and signed ex-Charger Stone Smartt to a low-cost deal (one year, $1.35MM). The team appears unlikely to go into the season with a Ruckert-Smartt top two at the position.

Jets-Brock Bowers ties formed before the 2024 draft, but the team did not strongly consider making that pick. It instead selected Olu Fashanu during that historically offense-tilted start to a draft. Warren would give the team a chance to fill that need a year later, though Bowers admittedly set the rookie-year bar quite high. A Warren move also would leave another major need unfilled in Round 1.

Morgan Moses‘ career has now included two Jets one-and-done stays. While the team engaged in talks to re-sign the veteran right tackle, the Patriots came in with a notable offer — three years, $24MM ($11MM at signing) — to land a player going into an age-34 season. The Jets have Fashanu ready to go at LT, but they could use the draft to add on the right side. Will Campbell-Patriots connections have emerged, potentially leaving the door open for Missouri prospect Armand Membou to slide to No. 7. This appears a scenario that would tempt the Jets, as Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline notes the team will be prepared to find a trade-down option if the Mizzou blocker is off the board.

The Pats have been tied to Membou on multiple occasions during the pre-draft process, but Campbell-New England ties persist. Membou, the No. 12 prospect on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board (which lists Campbell 10th), would represent a lofty investment to fill the Jets’ RT post. This would mean back-to-back first-round tackle investments, as the team added Fashanu at No. 11 last year.

The Jets also chose an O-lineman (Mekhi Becton, Alijah Vera-Tucker) twice previously under GM Joe Douglas, but a need remains. While the team has been connected to being an earlier-than-expected landing spot for Texas tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., Membou appears more likely to be the draft’s second tackle chosen (assuming Campbell’s arm length does not keep him from being the first).

At Least Six Teams Planning Private Workout For Penn State TE Tyler Warren

April 6th, 2025 at 1:57pm CST by Rory Parks

APRIL 6: Warren only has one official top-30 visit on deck, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports. In a further sign of how highly regarded he is, Schultz adds one team set to select in the top 10 has canceled its private workout with Warren. A long wait on the opening night of the draft should not be expected.

MARCH 30: Penn State tight end Tyler Warren is seen as one of the top players at his position in this year’s draft class, and many pundits view him as the best TE option. As such, Warren joined college teammate and fellow first-round prospect Abdul Carter in sitting out the Nittany Lions’ Pro Day on Friday, with Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com reporting Warren will instead work out for a handful of interested clubs prior to the draft.

Pauline refers to Warren as an “acquired taste” and says not every team has him as the premier TE in the 2025 pool. At least one club views last year’s John Mackey Award winner as the fourth-best tight end in the class, and draftniks like Pauline and ESPN’s Matt Miller consider him the second-best prospect behind Michigan’s Colston Loveland. NFL Media’s Daniel Jeremiah and ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., meanwhile, place Warren at the top of the TE hierarchy.

One way or another, Warren should hear his name called in Round 1. Pauline had previously reported that the Jets are “infatuated” with the soon-to-be 23-year-old, and he had also noted the Colts have significant interest. Unsurprisingly, then, both New York and Indianapolis – which hold the No. 7 and No. 14 overall picks, respectively – plan to bring Warren in for a private workout.

The Saints (No. 9 overall), Bears (No. 10), Chargers (No. 23), and Rams (No. 26) are also on Warren’s itinerary, per Pauline. None of those clubs have the same glaring TE need as the Jets and Colts, but with the top of the Bolts’ TE depth chart comprised of Will Dissly and new acquisition Tyler Conklin – who recently signed a modest one-year accord – a high-ceiling addition would make sense there. Likewise, the Rams’ Tyler Higbee is eligible for free agency next year and is entering his age-32 campaign, which makes both Los Angeles outfits logical Warren suitors.

It would be somewhat surprising to see Warren fall beyond Indianapolis’ No. 14 pick, because even clubs not named in Pauline’s report (like the Cowboys and their No. 12 selection) profile as legitimate destinations. Encouraged by Brock Bowers’ stunning rookie performance for the Raiders in 2024, clubs with immediate holes to fill at the TE spot could look to Warren as both a short- and long-term fix. The Colts coveted Bowers last season – he was nabbed by Las Vegas two picks before Indianapolis went on the clock – and they may not allow their preferred tight end prospect in 2025 to get away if he is still on the board.

In his final collegiate season, Warren – whose ability to get open underneath and create yards after the catch remind evaluators like Miller (subscription required) of Bowers – posted 104 receptions for 1,233 yards and eight scores. As a Wildcat threat, he added four rushing TDs and one passing TD for good measure.

Panthers Showed Interest In D.K. Metcalf, Eyeing Pass-Catching Help

April 4th, 2025 at 2:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Panthers changed course at wide receiver midway through last season, trading both Diontae Johnson and Jonathan Mingo before the deadline. Although Adam Thielen is coming back, he is going into an age-35 season. It appears likely Carolina will go back to the receiver well in this draft.

This has been a trend for the post-D.J. Moore Panthers, who chose Mingo in the 2023 second round and Xavier Legette in last year’s first. This came after a miss on Terrace Marshall in the 2021 second. Legette will obviously still be given a chance to be a regular, though UDFA Jalen Coker showed a bit more promise as a rookie, but key supplementation is almost definitely coming.

Carolina made an understandable inquiry into the Seattle receiver situation recently. Seeing as Dave Canales was D.K. Metcalf‘s former position coach, he told Kay Adams (during an Up & Adams appearance) with Dan Morgan about a potential trade after the receiver’s request to be moved. Morgan also spent time in Seattle, operating as a scout and front office exec there for eight years. Though, that was before Metcalf’s arrival. Canales overlapped with Metcalf for four seasons; the big-bodied WR’s career began with Canales as his position coach.

While Carolina showed interest, The Athletic’s Joe Person indicates no offer was made. The Panthers join the Patriots and Packers among teams that did not make an offer. The Seahawks ended up letting Metcalf go for a second-round pick, and the Steelers have authorized a top-five extension. The Panthers do not have an eight-figure AAV at receiver, and that seems likely to continue in 2025. Giving Moore a lucrative deal in 2022, the team still needs help here. It should be expected to draft a pass-catching weapon early, Person adds, with Canales indicating he “would love” to draft another playmaker to boost Bryce Young‘s development. The team scheduled a Tetairoa McMillan meeting already.

The playmaker Carolina traded up for in last year’s second round, Jonathon Brooks, is expected to miss much of the season after a second ACL tear. The Panthers, though, have running back covered via their Chuba Hubbard extension and Rico Dowdle signing. Coker led all UDFAs in receptions, yards and TD grabs last season and still figures to have a role. But the Panthers figure to bring in either a starting wideout or tight end (or both) during this draft, with Person adding the team is doing due diligence on Tyler Warren — a Penn State product that has generated interest from several teams. The Panthers, who have not seen too much from the TE spot since Greg Olsen, could outflank much of this lot, as they hold the No. 8 overall pick.

Thielen agreed to stay on a revised deal, representing perhaps a slight surprise due to his 2024 injuries and the cap savings that would have come had Carolina moved on. Though, the terms of Thielen’s return do give the team flexibility.

The Panthers have the former Pro Bowler tied to a $6.25MM base salary, but only $1.5MM of that is guaranteed. Carrying a $10.11MM cap number, Thielen could be cut to produce $5.1MM in cap savings. The Panthers would eat some dead money due to the $1.5MM guarantee and the two void years on the contract in that scenario.

Thielen remained productive when available last year. Missing seven games, he still nearly matched his per-game average from a 1,000-yard 2023 by posting 58.1 yards per contest in ’24. A former tryout body who caught on with his home-state Vikings, Thielen has become one of the better UDFA receivers in NFL history. He is now aiming for a 13th season in 2025.

Prospect Profile: Tyler Warren

March 22nd, 2025 at 11:19pm CST by Ely Allen

For much of the 2024 college football season, Michigan’s Colston Loveland was viewed as the premier tight end of the 2025 NFL Draft class. A breakout season from Nittany Lions tight end Tyler Warren gradually saw Loveland slip to TE2 as the Warren gained the top slot.

Warren had some decent offers coming out of Atlee HS in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Despite being a three-star athlete and grading as only the 21st-ranked tight end in the class, per 247Sports, Warren fielded offers from Michigan, South Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Louisville, and Syracuse. He made an early decision, though, committing to James Franklin and Penn State before his senior year and following through on that commitment.

It took a while for Warren to earn some significant snaps in Happy Valley. As a true freshman, Warren retained a redshirt status by only appearing in two games while Pat Freiermuth dominated the room. In his redshirt freshman year, Warren appeared in every contest but only caught five passes for 61 yards and a touchdown while Brenton Strange and Theo Johnson led the group, though Warren did get some gadget use with two rushing touchdowns on six attempts. This continued as the group stayed the same in 2022, though Warren did get three starts in a bit more time, catching 10 balls for 123 yards and three touchdowns.

With Strange departing for the NFL as a second-round draft pick, Warren joined Johnson as one of a two-man tight end attack in 2023. Both players caught 34 passes and seven touchdowns that year, though Warren edged Johnson on yardage 422 to 341. When Johnson was selected in the fourth round of the draft that year, it became clear that Warren would be a name to watch for this year’s class following his redshirt senior season.

Warren blew up the scene this year. With no other tight ends to vulture targets from him, Warren became the Nittany Lions’ top offensive weapon, leading the team in receptions (104), receiving yards (1,233), and receiving touchdowns (8). Though he had the added benefit of a 16-game schedule, thanks to the College Football Playoff, Warren’s 1,233 receiving yards were seventh-most in the NCAA this year. Per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Warren graded out as the second-best tight end in college football, behind only Harold Fannin Jr. of Bowling Green, who led all of college football in receiving yards and receiving yards per game regardless of position.

Measuring out at the NFL Scouting Combine at 6-foot-5.5 and 256 pounds, Warren is a little undersized for the perfect prototype, but his top-end production is enough to overlook that drawback. His size does limit him as a blocker, where he has plenty of room for improvement, and too easily can he be redirected from his route when in physical coverage, but sheer competitiveness and athleticism often helps Warren play through the contact and dominate, regardless.

Warren’s top competition in the draft is Loveland, Fannin, and Miami’s Elijah Arroyo. Loveland gained national recognition during the Wolverines’ national championship season but didn’t dominate statistically like Warren and Fannin in 2024. Arroyo’s stock continues to rise after a breakout season with the Hurricanes and a show-stealing performance at the Senior Bowl, though an injury at the event held Arroyo out from further improving his stock at the combine.

According to Tony Pauline of sportskeeda, the Jets are a team that are “infatuated with Warren” at the No. 7 overall pick. With the departure of Tyler Conklin to the Chargers, New York could certainly be on the lookout for a tight end in the draft. If they really love Warren, that pick makes too much sense. If he falls past the Jets, though, the Colts are another team that is highly covetous of Warren at No. 14 overall. Indianapolis was high on Brock Bowers last year before he got selected two slots above them. They’ll hope they don’t miss on Warren, too, since they haven’t had an impact tight end since Eric Ebron‘s big season in 2018.