Tyler Warren is one of the Indianapolis Colts’ newest kids on the block. The team snapped up the 23-year-old Virginian from the Penn State Nittany Lions in the first round of the 2025 NLF draft. Warren initially wanted to play quarterback, but later realized his path to professional football lay in playing at tight end.
On September 7, Warren helped the Colts to their first win of the 2025-26 regular season in their opening game against the Miami Dolphins. He and the team set the tone early for the game, which resulted in a 33-8 thrashing of the Miami side and the Colts’ first season-opening victory in 11 years. Below is a look at Warren’s performance in that opening game, his skills and attributes, and how he could contribute to the Colts’ fortunes.
Dishing out defeat to the Dolphins
By the time Warren had joined the Colts, he was playing more like a veteran than a rookie. The Mechanicsville-born 6-foot-5er had won many awards in college, including the John Mackey Award for college football’s top tight end in 2024.
But no one was quite ready for him to be so instrumental so early. In the Colts’ opening game performance, the tight end confirmed early that quarterback Daniel Jones would be able to rely on him to catch passes and that teammates could count on him to block and perform the rest of his tight end duties. Warren posted 76 yards for seven receptions and averaged 10.9 yards per reception.
Warren showed immense physicality. In addition to blocking, he smashed through defenders, making a statement of his strength and physical prowess, and left himself open almost every time for Jones to make the pass.
Head coach described Warren as “impressive” in that game and, because of his versatility, as “a player that can do it all,” even joking that he could consider playing on defense. Teammate Jones commented that Warren would “make a lot of extra yards” and is a “dangerous guy with the ball in his hands.”
Driving the Colts forwards
This season, the Colts will ask their tight end to get involved heavily in blocking runs. The role will make him a dangerous player because he can remain on the field in passing and running situations without his presence providing an indicator to defenses.
Warren has already proven his willingness to get physical. His toughness is a significant attribute that the head coach has commented on in interviews, saying he felt the Colts were lacking. Warren has the size and strength to handle contested balls and punishing contact. When he catches the ball, he’s a powerful runner, and it often takes more than one player to bring him down —if they can get close enough to him. His superb straight-line speed once he gets the ball allows him to accelerate quickly away from pursuing defenders. That’s thanks to long strides enabling him to eat up the grass and put distance between him and other players.
Warren thrives in zone defenses, and his size creates real problems because it’s often a mismatch in his favor against defensive players. He understands how important it is to find weak spots in defenses and nestles comfortably into them, providing a clear target for Jones.
The tight end is certainly a player the Colts will want to get into the red zone because of his size, ball skills, and catch radius. His offensive prowess is something to remember when considering any points spread featuring the Colts. His alignment versatility contributes further because he can work with other players in highly advantageous matchups, and players can feed him the ball differently. Whether it’s a quick manufactured touch or as a downfield target, he’s effective. He tracks the ball in flight well and goes right on the attack when he receives the ball.
Room for improvement
Warren plays more like a veteran than a rookie, but there’s room for improvement to help the Colts challenge for a place in the Super Bowl. The teams sit at +10000 on the moneylines.
Working on his route running and detailing could help. Despite his speed, he’s still a little stiff at the breakpoint against tight-man coverage, and he lacks some functional strength at the point of attack and good technique. He could also work on his run blocking to ensure he’s at the top of his game in this area and is more complete as an overall tight end prospect.
Tyler Warren is a significant addition to the Colts’ offense, and the team hopes he’ll have a powerful impact on their season. He’s certainly helped them get off to a strong start and, given his skills and attributes, they’ll be looking for more of this from him throughout the season.
