2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Tyler Warren

Last Updated: 3/25/2025

Career Stats

Summary

Tyler Warren came to Happy Valley in 2020 but only appeared in two games during a pandemic-shortened season. Over the next three years, Warren took advantage of his limited touches behind current NFL tight ends, but in 2023 he put his name on the map, amassing over 400 yards and 7 touchdowns on only 34 receptions. This made it less surprising that he exploded in 2024 for the Nittany Lions, setting a program record with 104 receptions. He produced an impressive 1,233 yards and 8 touchdowns through the air and added 218 yards and 4 scores on the ground, leading to a John Mackey Award-winning season.

Warren stands on an ideal NFL frame of 6-foot-5, 256 pounds. Marrying this with an immense amount of physicality and grit. Warren is not the most prolific route runner, but he has enough physicality and awareness to find space in defenses regularly displaying a strong football IQ. He also displays the ability to shed blockers and get into his routes effectively. This past season we saw Penn State generate touches in space limiting his need to lean on polished routes or battle press coverages. This doesn’t mean he can’t run them, but there is a question of whether he can consistently separate at the NFL level for me.

When it comes to the catch point Warren is reliable, showing strong but soft hands allowing him to make tough catches in traffic or contested situations. This is important due to his lack of raw separation skills. Marrying this with his ferocity, makes him effective in contested situations making them feel more like 70-30 than 50-50. His body control and length allow him to catch outside his frame with ease, allowing him to dig balls out of the dirt or go up and get off target throws.

At heart, Warren is an athlete, this is most apparent once the ball is in his hands as good things tend to happen. Which was very clear in his usage this past season, lining up inline, out wide, inside, backfield and even in the wildcat. He found success out of any alignment, whether it was the interior shovel pass or the wildcat, he generated big plays all over the field. His vision, speed and fluidity allow him to attack defenders’ leverage while exposing them for over-committing. There is a lack of elusiveness in one-on-one situations, but he can still make defenders miss with his physicality.

As a blocker, Warren is adequate but has room for improvement. With his athleticism, it is a surprise how often he struggles with more athletic defenders who force him to move off his original attack point. He has a strong attack power and can anchor but has some inconsistent hand placement that can get him in trouble. As a movement blocker, he doesn’t shy away from initial contact and offers a powerful shoulder pop. At this point in his career though he is farther along than his peers in the blocking game.

Strengths

• Versatility
• Hands
• Physicality
• YAC ability

Weaknesses

• Polished routes
• Consistent blocking technique

Honors and Awards

• John Mackey Award (2024)
• First-team All-American honors from the FWAA and The Sporting News (2024)
• Second-team All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation, the AFCA, and Associated Press (2024)
• Kwalick-Clark Big Ten Tight End of the Year Award (2024)
• Third-team All-Big Ten honors from the coaches (2023)

Athletic Testing

• 40-yard dash: TBD
• Vertical: TBD
• Broad Jump: TBD
• Three-cone: TBD
• Shuttle: TBD
• Bench: TBD

NFL Role Prediction

• Versatile starter

Fantasy Outlook

Tyler Warren offers the unicorn upside at the tight-end position. He has shown the ability to align at any position and produce, this will be an offensive coordinator’s dream and opens up plenty of opportunities to produce fantasy points. The question will be how a team uses him — landing spot is already key to a tight end’s success as opportunity is a significant factor in their fantasy production. So how will they use him, and if he loses some of the creative touches can he sustain fantasy viability?

Player Comparisons

• Jonnu Smith
• Trey McBride
• George Kittle