For weeks, plenty of mock drafts had the Indianapolis Colts taking a tight end.
The Colts probably didn’t anticipate Tyler Warren being an option.
Warren was considered a top-10 pick in the NFL Draft but the Chicago Bears passed on him for Colston Loveland with the 10th pick. That ended up being a boon for the Colts.
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The Colts took Warren, who did a little bit of everything for Penn State last season, with the 14th overall pick. Given how it was a big need for the Colts, they had to be thrilled to see Warren fall to them. He was not a consensus TE1 in the draft — there was a good debate between Warren and Loveland having the top spot — but many predicted him to be gone much earlier than 14th.
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It’s the first time in NFL Draft history two tight ends have gone within the first 14 picks, according to NFL.com’s Eric Edholm.
The move should help Anthony Richardson, or Daniel Jones if Jones ends up winning the starting job. Richardson has had a dreadful completion percentage since he was the Colts’ first-round pick two years ago, and having a versatile piece like Warren for some easy completions should help.
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Warren burst onto the scene last season with 104 catches for 1,233 yards. Penn State came up with creative ways to get him the ball, even using him a little bit as a wildcat quarterback. The Colts had to like that versatility when they watched his tape.
The Colts have Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman Jr. and Warren on the offense now. Whoever starts at quarterback will have a lot to work with.
