From the moment the NFL season ended until the final second before the draft kicked off, mock drafts were flying left and right.
The wide majority of them saw former Penn State tight end Tyler Warren become the first player at his position to be selected.
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The Chicago Bears stunned the NFL world when they used their No. 10 pick to select Michigan tight end Colston Loveland instead.
Only time will tell who will be considered the better player when their careers are over, but for now, the selection was a gift for the Indianapolis Colts who wasted no time selecting Warren at No. 14.
Jan 9, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions tight end Tyler Warren (44) runs passed Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Donovan Hinish (41) in the first half in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images© Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The college phenom was largely considered to be a top five overall prospect in the draft, but there is a stigma about selecting tight ends with a high pick.
This fear was only emboldened when the Atlanta Falcons selected Kyle Pitts with the fourth pick back in 2021 and has been massively underwhelming considering his draft slot.
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Although Warren was selected in the middle of the first round, many believe he will have a dominant rookie season.
Daniel Flick of Sports Illustrated gave his prediction for which rookies will have the best season, and he echoed a similar sentiment with Warren.
Out of all 32 players taken in the first round, Flick expects the Colts tight end to have the sixth best season.
Warren is a massive target who will be hard for NFL quarterbacks to miss, which is much needed for Indianapolis quarterback Anthony Richardson.
The John Mackey Award winner should play an enormous role in the Colts offense, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he transformed it.
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The offense is currently littered with good pass catchers, but they don’t have that one elite player to open up the field for everyone else.
Luckily, Warren should be that piece and when paired with superstar running back Johnathon Taylor, the Colts have the chance to dramatically improve their offense this season.
Related: Colts’ Rookie Tyler Warren Victim of Prank Call During 2025 NFL Draft