Tyler Warren could be Saints next star on offense

By Ross Jackson

The NFL Draft is approaching quickly and through NFL Combine week in Indianapolis, the rumor mill will be churning constantly. 

For the New Orleans Saints, who will select No. 9 overall in this year’s draft, the prospect that continues to come up in conversation is Penn State tight end Tyler Warren. 

Listed at 6-foot-6 and 249 pounds, the versatile playmaker is a true threat all over an offense. He reeled in 104 receptions for 1,233 receiving yards and eight touchdown catches in 16 games. That would already be a stellar stat line for any NFL receiver, let alone a tight end. 

For Warren, the vision is already in place in New Orleans. Many will compare the flexible playmaker to Saints do-it-all tight end Taysom Hill. Warren had 26 rushes for 218 rushing yards and four touchdowns in 2024, adding to his value. But perhaps his best deployment would be as a moving piece like Saints tight end Jimmy Graham.

Graham was deployed from in-line, the slot and out wide. Depending on the best way to maximize a potential mismatch, Warren could be used the same way with a different emphasis each week. Head coach and offensive play caller Kellen Moore has made versatility and week-to-week adjustments cornerstones of his offensive identity. The Nittany Lions chess piece could be a perfect fit.

Typically, drafting a tight end in the top-10 is ill-advised. Even the most recent such selection of Atlanta Falcons pass-catcher Kyle Pitts still faces its fair share of scrutiny. 

However, last season’s success story at the position, Las Vegas Raiders No. 13 overall selection Brock Bowers, may be a sign of the changing times. Bowers was the best player on the Raiders’ roster by far. 

If the Saints are encouraged by the readiness of tight ends as compared to days past, nabbing Warren with the No. 9 overall pick may not be out of the question and could help Moore start to build his mismatch-oriented attack from day one.