COLTS FILM ROOM: New TE Tyler Warren is everything the Indy offense is missing

The second Tyler Warren declared for the 2025 NFL Draft, the Colts were immediately on the short list of teams that not just wanted—but desperately needed him.

The second Tyler Warren declared for the 2025 NFL draft, the Indianapolis Colts were immediately on the short list of teams that not just wanted—but desperately needed—his talent in their offense.

It’s no secret the Colts were looking to upgrade at tight end. It’s been discussed ad nauseam for the past 365 days or so, and for good reason. The Colts tight end room had two quality blockers, but were essentially non-existent in the passing game. Defenses knew this and took advantage. They could predict whether a run or pass was coming based on which tight end was in the game, and could even push coverage on passing downs away from the tight ends and toward the receivers.

For the past two years, defenses aggressively allocated resources elsewhere. With Tyler Warren, they’re now going to pay for it.

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Let’s start with Shane Steichen’s offense and how he ideally wants to play. The way the Colts are constructed, I would describe them as a “power spread” offense. What I mean by that, is that they want to play with lighter personnel (11P) and spread you out, then make your lighter personnel have to go tackle Jonathan Taylor and Anthony Richardson in space.

The Colts for the first time in the Chris Ballard era, are four WR’s deep. You couldn’t say that last year at this time, but after drafting AD Mitchell and getting a breakout year from Alec Pierce, this the deepest they’ve been at the position in quite some time. That also means they don’t want to take these guys off the field if they don’t have to.

The Colts did play more two tight end sets that took Josh Downs off the field in 2024, but they still finished in the top 10 in 11 personnel usage. Having two TE’s that were stout run blockers allowed them to better lean into the downhill QB run game that gave them some success. But with Tyler Warren, I expect that number to potentially trend back toward the top of the league like they were in 2023.

Tyler Warren is one of the more complete tight ends that have come out in college in quite some time. While that doesn’t mean he’s the “best” or that he doesn’t have things to improve in his game, there isn’t much that he can’t do. He can block from various alignments, he plays with elite competitive toughness, has an elite contested catch rate, and is one of the best YAC players in the entire draft. Not to mention he lined up at center, wildcat QB, and completed multiple passes last year.

While he got a lot of well-deserved hype throughout the process, he isn’t Brock Bowers or even George Kittle from day one. The Top 10 hype was a bit much, even in a weaker class, and frankly— the more you study his 2024 season, there’s only a handful of offensive ecosystems in the entire league that could make Tyler Warren live up to the lofty expectations given to him throughout the pre-draft process. The Colts in my opinion are absolutely one of them.

With that being said, the Colts are excited to add Tyler Warren to their tight end room— but they’re even more excited to add Tyler Warren to their football team.

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RED ZONE PRODUCTION

Tyler Warren had 25 Touchdowns in his college career, 6 of which were rushing TD’s.

In the NFL (and P4 Football), Red Zone offense is all about making plays when the space is compressed. Because the goal line serves as a natural roof on the coverage shell, the windows are that much tighter and true separation is harder to come by. Odds are, you’re going to have to complete a pass in a tight window, or generate movement in the run game in order to score. It’s a big mans game, and at 6’6 260 lbs, Tyler Warren is well equipped to give the Colts the mismatch they desperately need.

He isn’t a polished route runner at this stage in his career, but when you get in the +20 and in— it doesn’t always matter. Because of his impressive body control and his large frame, even if he’s covered, he’s not actually covered.

Of Anthony Richardson’s 21 Red Zone passes, the Mesh concept was the most frequently used, capitalizing on Cover Zero and Man-Free coverages with effective rubs and picks. But with Warren, the opportunities are endless.

Warrens’ size and contested catch ability will put defenses in conflict. Do I want to play Cover Zero to try outnumber the QB run game? If I do, can I trust the defender that has to make a play on the ball vs. Warren? With more bodies committed to stopping the run, that leaves LBs or Safeties on islands to cover Warren. You may be able to run the route with him, but when the ball is in the air you’re probably not going to make the play. That’s what wins in the Red Zone.

Let’s look at the touchdown that broke the Penn State record for most career receiving touchdowns by a tight end.

Maryland is playing Cover Zero in the low red zone which is a very popular— if not borderline universal— coverage choice in that area of the field, especially vs. teams who run their QB.

With the RB releasing fast to the flat, it looks like Maryland could have had a miscommunication in coverage. But nonetheless, Tyler Warren stems his corner route outside which gets the LB to over commit. He then chops the arm that the LB is using to re-route him while stemming back inside. That gets the LB off balance where he’s unable to make a play.

This is an area of his game that is still developing, but you can see the schematic conflict that defenses are put in when you have a contested catch player that can line up at #2 or #3 in the formation.

WILDCAT QUARTERBACK

Let me make this clear, everything you saw Penn State do with Tyler Warren is on the table for the Colts in 2025.

That includes a Wildcat QB package. Warren’s background as a high school QB gives him the ability to not only take snaps in the shotgun, but execute option concepts.

Here Penn State is running QB Power Sweep. Warren’s job is simple, but for a tight end who moonlights at QB it’s much harder than it looks. You don’t get the same reps at it, but you can tell that Warren is comfortable doing it. On QB Power Sweep, the OL will be “gap down” meaning they’ll block the man in the gap to their left. The LG will pull and wrap for that play side ILB. Tyler Warren’s job is to read the end man on the line of scrimmage (#4). Warren will pull or handoff the ball based on that DE’s ability to tackle the RB. If he can’t tackle the back, you hand it off on the sweep and likely it walks in. If he can, then you pull the ball and throw yourself into the end zone— which we see here.

Because Illinois is playing Cover Zero, they outnumber Penn State in the Box. Illinois has 9 guys, while Penn State has 8. But it doesn’t matter when you have Tyler Warren. Look at the two unblocked Illinois safeties. They want no part of tackling Warren at the goal line.

It’s identical to how the Colts use Anthony Richardson at the goalline. When the space gets tight, it will show you who really wants to play. Not many players want to take on mack trucks coming their way.

CONTESTED CATCH ABILITY

There’s no better play to show off Warren’s contested catch ability than the play call we’ve seen 100 times.

Obviously this is a ridiculously creative play design— that doesn’t even work out well! In theory this should be wide open, but the MOF safety sniffs out Warren as an eligible receiver, and baseball turns right into the play.

But for a 260 LB tight end, he has rare body control to be able to pluck the ball over the DB’s helmet and then contort his body to secure the catch.

This is a play that should’ve been laughed at down 14 in the 3rd quarter— instead we’re celebrating it. All because of Warren’s special ability to secure the football while it’s in the air.

Even this play vs. Oregon shows you how special he can be when the ball is in the air. He doesn’t have the longest arms, but he wins with body control and just pure strength. DB’s just can’t do anything about it, even if they run the entire route with him.

YAC MACHINE

Another play that just shows off how special his body control is. At 260 LBs it is not normal to be able to stop on a dime like that.

FIT IN INDIANAPOLIS

The Colts have plenty of chain movers, but they don’t have a punisher. Some players run around you with speed, others make you run the wrong way with agility, Tyler Warren runs right through you with pure strength.

He makes the Colts different.

In 11 personnel the entire menu is wide open. Once you establish the run with Jonathan Taylor and Anthony Richardson, you can build action passes, screens, and RPOs off that to get the ball in his hands.

He can run the 7 routes that Shane Steichen likes to call to create three-level vertical stretches on a defense. He can run the sticks, sits, and basics in quick game concepts. He can run the seams on vertical concepts. He can be the depth setter in mesh, or even the guy you’re running the pick for if you really want to.

He can be selfless too, such as blocking tunnel screens to Michael Pittman, or setting picks versus man coverage for Josh Downs. If he has to chip a game-wrecking pass rusher he’ll be great at that. If he has to run the pivot route on a Wrap-In just to open up the middle of the field, he can do too.

In the run game he can “Slice” block or cut the backside DE on split flow runs. He can combo with the frontside tackle to reach linebackers on wide zone. He can insert on lead schemes. He can wrap for the linebacker on counter. He can down block on crack toss. He can wall off the backside DE on open side runs. Eventually he’ll improve on base blocks in gap scheme and walling off defenders on Duo. However, with the QB run game, the Colts can seamlessly alleviate some of those issues since you get better angles in the run game and leave those DE’s unblocked.

Moral of the story is the Colts got a potential game changer. This is a player with clear production. The entire stadium knew he was going to get the ball and he made the plays anyway. He was so versatile for Penn State and there’s a glimmer of hope that he can make the same impact for the Colts.

But at a bare minimum Tyler Warren will contribute to a struggling red zone offense, create some easy completions for an offense that has a borderline non-existent screen and quick game.

As with any draft pick, the ROI remains to be seen. But the Colts needed a player like Warren badly, and the fit was a match made in heaven.