One member of the Indianapolis Colts’ eight-man draft class made Matt Miller’s list of his top 100 favorite NFL draft picks.
One member of the Indianapolis Colts’ eight-man draft class made Matt Miller’s list of his top 100 favorite NFL draft picks.
As Miller put together these rankings, he took into account value, scheme fit, positional need, potential draft compensation, and skill set.
So, any guesses which Colts’ player made this list?
It’s an obvious one, but coming in at No. 18 in Miller’s rankings was Tyler Warren, whom the Colts took in the first round.
“The Colts had the worst tight end production in the NFL last season, so Warren fills a major hole,” Miller wrote. “He’s a proven playmaker and a mismatch for defenders. He scored touchdowns as a tight end, receiver, running back and quarterback last season. Having a player like Warren is a great way for the Colts to see what they have in quarterbacks Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones.”
Just about all of the factors that were mentioned above in terms of what Miller accounted for in these rankings are evident in the Warren selection. Value, fit, skill set, and need are all prominent.
Warren will give the Colts that needed pass-catching juice from the tight end position, but his impact will go well beyond that phase of the game. With Warren’s ability as a blocker and his versatility, he can handle a variety of different roles, as we saw from him at Penn State.
That do-it-all ability he possesses will add a level of unpredictability to the Colts’ offense, which will not only create opportunities for himself but for others around him as well.
Although Warren was the only Colts’ pick to make Miller’s list, JT Tuimoloau and DJ Giddens are two other players who should have been considered. Both have a path to being able to make a sizeable impact this season for the Colts, and in terms of fit, both should jell with their respective offensive and defensive schemes.