Colts new TE Tyler Warren on blocks with ‘violent intentions’ and an ‘angry mentality’
Indianapolis Colts draft Penn State tight end Tyler Warren with the fourteenth overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.
Penn State football is a popular pick near the top of national preseason college rankings and projections this spring.
At least one popular analyst has them No. 1, nearly four months from the start of the 2025 season. Another outlet is projecting them to win their first national title in 39 years.
This for a team that made the CFP semifinal last year but, once again, lost to a top five opponent. (Penn State is 1-15 against those under head coach James Franklin).
They’re a team that returns a dozen starters from its dynamic 2024 season but still must fill big holes on the defensive line and at safety and tight end. One that is overhauling its receiver room.
How good will the Lions truly be in 2025? Here’s a breakdown on how some national media types see them in May:
No. 1: Joel Klatt, FOX Sports
The breakdown: “They’re following the blueprint of the teams that just won the national championship. This is why I am putting them in this spot,” Klatt said on his recent college football podcast. “You look at what Michigan did in 2023. You look at what Ohio State did in 2024. Both of those teams had a core group of veteran players stay. They stayed and won a championship.
“Both of those teams had veterans at quarterback. They had veterans on both sides of the ball. They were excellent at the line of scrimmage. They had chips on their shoulders from the way they were bounced in the postseason in years prior. All of that is true about Penn State.”
Klatt’s concerns for the Nittany Lions are replacing the production of first-round NFL Draft tight end Tyler Warren (with improved wide receiver play?) and winning their biggest moments.
“Penn State has proven, really for a number of years, they will absolutely take care of business. They will beat the teams they should beat,” Klatt said. “What we haven’t seen from Penn State is them rise up and win the game that I would call a matchup game. When they’re looking across and the talent is equal, and they even may be a bit of an underdog. Can they win that game?”
No. 2: USA Today
The breakdown: “In QB Drew Allar and RBs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, three linchpins of the Nittany Lions’ offense are set to return. While Penn State will lose star TE Tyler Warren, help is on the way at receiver in transfers Kyron Hudson (Southern California) and Devonte Ross (Troy). Defensively, the Nittany Lions lose edge rusher Abdul Carter but return senior Dani Dennis-Sutton, a likely preseason All-America pick.”
No. 2: 247Sports
The breakdown: “There might not have been a bigger transfer portal addition in the last few weeks than signing of former Syracuse star Trebor Pena. … The Nittany Lions welcome back a pair of 1,000-yard rushers, a quarterback with sights set on becoming the No. 1 pick and many defensive starters looking to make a name for themselves following the exit of Abdul Carter.”
No. 3: CBS Sports
The breakdown: “Much like Ohio State a year ago, Penn State has gone all-in on the upcoming season, retaining quarterback Drew Allar, adding the portal’s top receiver −Syracuse’s Trebor Pena − and hiring Ohio State’s Jim Knowles, the nation’s top defensive coordinator. The key is receiver, which has been a glaring weakness over the last three years. Might Pena, a 1,000-yard receiver, spark the group?”
No. 4: The Sporting News
The breakdown: “It is an all-in year for Penn State coming off an appearance in the CFP semifinals under James Franklin. Drew Allar – a third-year starter – returns and will have a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen. The Nittany Lions added Syracuse receiver Trebor Pena via the portal, too, which should help fill an area of need. Dani Dennis-Sutton and cornerback AJ Harris lead a new-look defense under new coordinator Jim Knowles, who left the Buckeyes. Can Penn State follow in Michigan and Ohio State’s path to the program’s first national title since 1986?”
Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.