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The Indianapolis Colts selected Penn State star tight end Tyler Warren at No. 14 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. Warren comes into the league with a ton of hype, and he should immediately see a large share of targets from whoever the Colts play at quarterback.
Warren made his preseason debut on Thursday against the Baltimore Ravens and had three catches for 40 yards.
Colts head coach Shane Steichen has spent time working with plenty of star tight ends throughout his career, including Antonio Gates, while both were with the San Diego Chargers. Gates was just inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and Steichen even revealed during an episode of the “Up & Adams Show” that Warren has similar traits to Gates.
“I think he’s got a natural feel for the game. I think he has an awareness for zones and voids in the defense as he’s running routes. But the one thing that’s really impressive about him, he’s got unbelievable hands, and when he’s out in the open space, he is so physical at the point of attack. Like he’s going to lower his shoulder and go after you. I love that about him,” Steichen said when asked about something Warren has that Gates also had,” Steichen said.
Steichen's run with the Chargers began in 2011 when he was a defensive assistant, and he then returned as the Offensive quality control coach from 2014 to 2015 before being the quarterbacks coach for the final years of Gates' career before he retired after the 2018 season.
Before the NFL Draft, analyst and former NFL QB Dan Orlovsky also compared Warren to Gates and Jason Witten.
“Am I allowed to comp a prospect to two players? I'm bending the rules because Warren is a mix of Witten and Gates. It's high praise, but Warren is an unbelievably reliable tight end, catching 104 passes for 1,233 yards and eight touchdowns at Penn State last season. He also threw a TD pass and rushed for four more scores. Warren shows creativity and variety in his routes, which is rare for a player of his 6-6 size. That's why I see a mix of Witten and Gates here.”
If that is anywhere close to being true, Warren is in store for a very long and successful career, and the Colts should be excited for the rookie tight end.
