After stamping his name all over the Penn State record books, Penn State football tight end Tyler Warren should hear his name called early on at the NFL Draft later this week.

After five years in Happy Valley, Warren leaves as the school’s leader in total touchdowns (25), receptions (153), 100-yard games (five), and receiving yards (1,839).

Warren was a three-star recruit out of Atlee High School in Mechanicsville, Virginia, where he played quarterback. As part of the 2020 recruiting class, he was ranked as the No. 21 tight end and the No. 13 overall recruit in the state of Virginia, according to the 247Sports Composite. Warren chose Penn State over Louisville, Michigan, South Carolina, Syracuse, Virginia, and Virginia Tech.

Warren appeared in just two games as a freshman, fighting for reps in a loaded tight end room that included four future NFL players: Theo Johnson, Brenton Strange, Zack Kuntz, and Pat Freiermuth. In 2021, he appeared in all 13 games but recorded just five catches for 61 yards and a touchdown.

Brenton Strange’s departure to Jacksonville in 2022 cleared some room for Warren, who doubled his prior year’s production, logging 10 catches for 123 yards and three touchdowns across 12 games, three of which he started. The Virginia native took another step in his fourth year while sharing the field with Theo Johnson, hauling in 34 catches for 422 yards and seven touchdowns.

To begin 2024, Warren was the clear-cut starter in the tight end room after Johnson opted to forgo his senior year and enter the 2024 NFL Draft. After patiently waiting five years for his time in the spotlight, Warren made quite the splash with his 16 starts, becoming the single-season record holder for receptions with 104 and setting the single-season record for yards by a tight end with 1,233. Additionally, he added 26 carries for 218 rushing yards and four touchdowns.

He earned All-Big Ten first team honors from coaches and media and received the John Mackey Award for being the best tight end in the country. His most notable performance came against USC, where he reeled in a Penn State record 17 receptions for 224 yards and a touchdown.

Although Warren did attend the NFL Combine in Indianapolis in March, he did not participate in any on-field testing, opting to stand firmly on his gargantuan production.

Measuring in at 6’5″ and 256 pounds, Warren has the prototypical frame for a tight end at the next level, but has proved he is not limited to just being a tight end in an offense.

“He imprints on games with alignment versatility, allowing opportunities for play-callers to stress the defense. Despite his size, he’s quick enough to beat man coverage underneath and plays with good recognition of holes in coverage,” NFL Draft Analyst Lance Zierlein said of Warren.

Athletically, Warren is at his best after the catch, playing with a wiggle and low pad level that frequently allows him to run through defenders.

“A high-efficiency pass catcher, Warren moves with light feet, fluid body movements and natural balance, all of which help him instantly transition from receiver to runner and become a threat with the ball in his hands,” said Dane Brugler of The Athletic.

A report from Jordan Schultz revealed that Warren has visited just one NFL team during the pre-draft process. Schultz further explained that teams view Warren as “one of the cleanest prospects.”

“He checks every box — character, toughness, intelligence, and he’s just scratching the surface athletically. There’s not much to overthink,” an anonymous executive said.

Draft analysts have frequently pinned the tight end to the New York Jets at seventh overall, the New Orleans Saints at ninth overall, or the Indianapolis Colts at 14th overall.

While he still needs to develop as a downfield route runner and an inline blocker, Warren’s dependable hands and hunger to create yardage after the catch put him in a prime position to be selected early in the first round of the NFL Draft.

The NFL Draft begins at 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 24, and ends on Saturday, April 26, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. All seven rounds will be televised on ESPN and the NFL Network.