Penn State Swiss Army Knife Tight End is Soaring up Draft Boards

They say patience is a virtue. Penn State Tight End Tyler Warren has displayed exceptional patience in his five years with the Nittany Lions. That patience is about to be rewarded during the 2025 NFL Draft next April in Green Bay. While teammates Brenton Strange and Theo Johnson received the bulk of the tight end receptions in previous seasons, Warren remained the loyal soldier. While his teammates put up the respectable receiving numbers and the occasional highlight reel catch, Warren was a key blocking contributor that helped put running backs Nicholas Singleton and Keyton Allen run into the national spotlight. He never shied away from the dirty work in the trenches.

Strange and Johnson’s productivity resulted in each of them being mid-round picks with Strange being selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2023 and Johnson going to the New York Giants the following year. Warren had the opportunity to enter the draft last spring as a redshirt junior, and probably would have been a later day three selection. His thorough understanding of the tight end position and his willingness to adapt to multiple assignments would be attractive to NFL teams looking for bargains deep in the draft that could be “coached up” into productive, multi-down, players. At a minimum, Warren was a solid bet to make a team as a special teams contributor or a practice squad member.

Sensing that his value was not fully realized by former Nittany Lion Offensive Coordinator Mike Yurcich, the 6’5”, 261 pound redshirt senior from Mechanicsville, VA opted to return for his final season of eligibility and cast his fate with incoming Offensive Coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. In Warren’s wildest dreams, he could not have envisioned how his 2024 campaign would unfold. By design or necessity, the mad scientist Kotelnicki made Warren the focal point of his passing attack. Kotelnicki has employed Warren as a tight end, running back, quarterback, and even center. The latter occurred against Southern Cal and produced one of this season’s most unique touchdowns. Lining up at center in an unbalanced line, Warren remained an eligible receiver. He snapped the ball to Quarterback Drew Allar who returned the ball 32 yards to Warren for a touchdown that caught the Trojans flatfooted long enough for him to get past the coverage. That reception was part of a day that saw the Nittany Lion standout match the FBS record for receptions by a tight end in a game at 17. His 244 yards receiving surpassed his own team record for receiving yards by a tight end in a game, set earlier in the year against Bowling Green, with 146 yards.

The USC game is far from the only example of Warren’s versatility. He has twice lined up at quarterback, his high school position. That resulted in completions both times including a touchdown. He has also made five rushing attempts for 38 yards and a touchdown. He remains an effective blocker who has helped fuel a resurgent rushing attack. But his greatest value remains as a receiver. Warren leads the Penn State receiving corps in receptions (40), receiving yards, (513), touchdowns (4), and yards per game (85.5). His production has increased primarily due to Kotelnicki’s unique scheme and the wide receivers finally becoming a threat down field, especially Ohio State transfer Julian Flemming and junior Omari Evans finally beginning to realize his immense potential. Warren’s production has landed him on the watch list for the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s best receiver. That award has historically been given to wide receivers and his inclusion indicates the level of respect observers have for the progression of his skills.

So far Warren’s bet on himself is looking like a winner. According to nflmockdraftdatabase.com, he is the second ranked tight end available for the 2025 draft, trailing only conference rival Michigan’s Colston Loveland. He is the 48th overall prospect on their composite big board. Warren’s experience, polish and production have vaulted him into potentially being selected in the first round. Mock drafts from outlets such as The Draft Network and 33rd Team are already projecting him to be selected on night one of the draft.

Warren will be able to cement his status by producing at his current level over the Nittany Lions’ next three games. That will be easier said than done as their next three opponents are all currently ranked in the Top 15 in NCAA passing defense in terms of yards per game. First up is Wisconsin’s seventh ranked passing defense at 153.6 YPG. Penn State follows that tough road game with its marquee matchup of the season hosting long time foe Ohio State and their 168.0 YPG, 15thranked, passing defense. Should he weather that storm, Warren, sometimes known as Mr.” White Out” for performing best during the annual fan engagement game, draws the nation’s top defensive passing team in Washington, a team allowing only 123.0 YPG.

Tight Ends Coach Ty Howell downplayed in an interview with Draft Nation during Penn State’s Media in August the notion that Penn State is gaining on Iowa as Tight End U, but the recent success of former Lions at the NFL level makes the claim hard to ignore. Warren may end up being the best of the bunch. The remaining schedule will have opposing defensive coordinators tailoring their game plans to limit his impact. If he continues at his current level of production and follows it up with impressive Senior Bowl and NFL Combine results, he could surpass Loveland as the first tight end drafted.

The unassuming Warren does not have a famous girlfriend or a larger than life personality, but one can envision him as an ideal fit in Kansas City as heir apparent to future Hall of Famer Travis Kelce. His game bears similar characteristics. There are few tight ends that have mastered the position as well as Warren, and in Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid, he would find another mad scientist that would maximize his diverse skill set.

There is still a long way between today and draft day. A host of factors could impact Warren’s draft stock in any direction. However, for now, the market is bullish on his worth. In this era of endless transfers and money above all else, it is refreshing to see a player who values his coaching staff, teammates, university, and primarily his own value. If other prospects follow Warren’s example, it might go a long way in restoring a measure sanity to the chaos that is college football.