The NFL Draft isn’t necessarily a meritocracy. It is certainly not an exact rundown of the best players in ascending order. Quarterbacks are given more onus towards the top for example, and understandably. Even if say a linebacker is perceived to be better than the entire field, their position in the pecking order may not be in accordance with their talent. QBs will always get a slight bump up the draft board. So imagine being the consensus no.1 Tight End in this upcoming draft class. A flag-bearer on a team that reached the final 4 of the College Football Playoffs last season. Yet falling to the cusp of even being a lottery pick. That’s the reality, harsh or not, that faces Tyler Warren.

It wouldn’t be hyperbolic to say Tyler Warren was Penn State’s best offensive player. His production from TE was far and beyond any of his contemporaries in the Power 5. Warren put up over 1200 yards last season alone, including just shy of 12 per reception. Analysts are projecting him to have a Brock Bowers-like impact in his rookie year. For good reason, too. But tight ends aren’t seen as a high up-side pick. Detroit did thwart that convention by picking Sam LaPorta high in round ,1 though. With all of this baked in, former pro turned NFL Draft analyst slates Warren to go to the Indianapolis Colts at #14 in his latest mock draft. As such, the people of Indy are looking forward to seeing Warren at the Combine on their home turf. However, there’s some bad news.

Fellow draft prospect Shedeur Sanders found himself in the midst of controversy this week, as he tends to do. The seeds of which were sown over a fortnight ago. Shedeur took part in the Flag Football exhibition game on Super Bowl weekend. This participation was actually somewhat controversial in itself, given he sat out the Shrine Bowl less than a fortnight ago. At this event, Shedeur interacted with NY Jets star cornerback Sauce Gardner.

The former ROTY asked Shedeur a probing question about whether he’d spoken to the Jets during his draft process. Shedeur denied having a conversation with the Jets brass. This caused Sauce Gardner to go into a bit of a rant of Shedeur and his kin. Which makes all the more sense now. Shedeur has announced he’s not going to throw at the Combine or partake in the drills. Which helps explain Tyler Warren’s own decision.

“That’s what I don’t like about people like you bro. People who really have motion at quarterback. Y’all feel like you know what’s going to happen already…your pick is locked in. I get it,” said Sauce Gardner. Shedeur Sanders nodded his head in disapproval and explicitly denied having answers about which franchise he was headed to. “They are spoiled when it comes to quarterbacks. The coach literally tells you ‘we’re drafting you’. They don’t tell you that at the corner,” continued Sauce. This was obviously said in jest. Shedeur’s decision to avoid drills suggests Sauce was right. That he’s privy to the franchise that will draft him. In reality, the reason is just a fear of injury during the most important phase of his career yet. Where one misstep could derail everything.

Well, Tyler Warren will also not participate in drills during the Combine for these reasons. This was confirmed by FOX Sports’ NFL insider Jordan Schultz. Warren will only do medical evaluations and team interviews. Fans of him and the Colts will likely need to wait till Penn State’s Pro Day to see him in action. That said, the Colts faithful still have plenty to mull over. Especially after their head coach and GM both have slammed open the door to an Anthony Richardson alternative.

Tyler Warren revelation preceded by bad news for Anthony Richardson from the Combine

The Anthony Richardson experiment hasn’t quite gone to plan, has it? Picking a prospect as raw as him 3rd overall was a high-risk, high-reward maneuver. Richardson’s physical attributes, which were in full display at the 2023 Combine, just haven’t been met with good quarterbacking. Alas, it’ll be premature to deem this pick a failure. He’s still younger than QBs in this draft class! However, the Colts aren’t too far away from contending for the playoffs. Some stable quarterback play could be what pushes them over the edge. HC Shane Steichen concurs, and so does GM Chris Ballard.

Ballard explicitly said the franchise is open to drafting a quarterback to give AR competition. To this, Steichen didn’t push back. “I think competition is great for everybody,” he said. “Any time you have competition at any position, whether it’s the quarterback position or wherever it may be, I think it makes everyone better.” As aforementioned, Richardson is still very young. This is by no means a waving of the white flag. But iron sharpens iron. There are plenty of routes Indy could go down with drafting a signal-caller. Whoever they grab off the board will only be accentuated by the presence of Tyler Warren.

For now, Warren will be laser-focused on giving a good account of himself to his suitors. The interviews are an opportunity for front offices to measure his intangibles. Teams will speak to Warren for the first time in an NFL setting. Weigh up his Xs and Os as well as his mettle and poise. A huge week beckons for TE1. As for Anthony Richardson, he’ll hope they can indeed land a weapon of Warren’s ilk.