The worst kept secret in the NFL this offseason has been that the Colts need to add a tight end. On Thursday night, they did so.
Indianapolis selected Penn State’s Tyler Warren with the 14th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
“Sometimes you get a little lucky,” general manager Chris Ballard told the media on Thursday night.
The Colts were a little fortunate that Warren fell into their lap. There were heavy links between the two sides in the pre-draft process, but given his elite talent level, it would not have been a surprise to see him come off the board in the top ten.
But Ballard and the Indy scouting department felt comfortable staying put. Ballard said he felt area scout Chad Henry (who’s responsible for the northeast, Penn State’s region) had the right information to allow them to remain at No. 14.
Warren, a 22-year-old from Mechanicsville, Virginia, had a highly productive tenure at Penn State. After recording 153 career receptions for 1,839 yards and 19 touchdowns, it’s easy to understand why he’s been a massive fan favorite since draft season began.
He plays with some juice that Ballard felt the Colts were missing.
“He brings an element of toughness that I thought we needed to add offensively,” Ballard told the media, adding it was a pick which required little discussion in the war room.
Warren is a violent, physical blocker in the run game and a reliable receiver who’s ruthless after the catch— a true do-it-all tight end. So much so to the point where Warren can even take handoffs in the run game and use his high school quarterbacking background to add even more wrinkles.
“I think it’s important in general as a football player to be able to be on the field as much as you can,” he said in his first meeting with Colts’ media members over Zoom. “As a tight end, it helps the whole offense.”
“The last time I felt that good about a pick was Quenton (Nelson),” Ballard said. “It was easy.”
If that’s any indication of the impact Warren could have on the Colts offense, then Indianapolis has found a true franchise cornerstone.
The work for Ballard’s crew is only getting started however. Indy holds pick No. 45 in the second round and pick No. 80 in the third when the draft resumes tomorrow evening at 7 p.m. ET.
