Source: Peter G. Aiken / Getty
INDIANAPOLIS – In an offseason where the Colts defense received some prized resources, the offense is receiving one of the best tight end seasons college football has seen in years.
Along with Tyler Warren, the Colts added some potentially important offensive depth pieces on Day 3 of the draft.
Here’s a capsule look at the Colts four picks on offense in 2025:
1. Round 1, Pick 14: Penn State Tight End Tyler Warren (6-6, 256)
Source:Getty
-2024 Stats: 16 games played (16 starts). Caught 104 balls for 1,233 yards (11.9 yards per catch) and 8 touchdowns.
-Career Stats: 56 games played (31 starts). Caught 153 balls for 1,839 yards for 19 touchdowns.
-Interesting Fact: Warren set a Big Ten record with 17 catches for 224 yards in a road win at USC last year.
-Chris Ballard’s Thoughts: “He can do a lot now. I mean, he can play multiple spots. He’s got the quarterback background, so he can play in the backfield. He’s a great 50-50 ball catcher. After the catch, he’s violent after the catch. He brings an element of toughness that I thought we needed to add offensively.”
-Outlook: The Colts biggest need entering the 2025 Draft got first-round attention in Warren. More than the raw numbers—which are video game like (104 catches for 1,233 yards)—Warren showed at Penn State he is an offensive chess piece that happens to play tight end. Warren had a crazily impressive yards after catch number in college, creating those plays via strength and bulling, versus eye-popping seed. Shane Steichen has to be salivating imagining the variety of ways he can line Warren up, which is how Penn State used him. The Colts have been way too serviceable at the tight end position in recent years (and pass catcher, in general). Warren gives the Colts the opportunity to have an elite playmaker at a position they’ve sorely lacked reaching such a level in recent years.
2. Round 4, Pick 127: Iowa State Offensive Tackle Jalen Travis (6-8, 339)
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-2024 Stats: 12 games played (11 starts at left tackle).
-Career Stats: 34 games played (26 starts: 8 at right tackle, 18 at left tackle)
-Interesting Fact: Graduated from Princeton with a degree in anthropology, with a concentration in law, politics and economics. Also received a certificate in African American studies.
-Ballard’s Quote to Note: “The physical ability that he brings, he’s light on his feet for a big guy. I think he ran a 5.15. At that size to run and move like that, it will be good for the room.”
-Outlook: Entering the draft, I didn’t think the Colts would wait until the middle of Round 4 for their first trade and take their first offensive tackle. But that was the case in 2025, with big fella Jalen Travis joining the Colts. Expect Travis to compete for the swing tackle job that could very well be open if Matt Goncalves is indeed the starting right guard in 2025. With Braden Smith in a contract year after this season, Travis walks into a nice opportunity for a Day 3 pick.
3. Round 5, Pick 151: Kansas State Running Back D.J. Giddens (6-0, 212)
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-2024 Stats: 12 games (12 starts). 205 carries for 1,343 yards and 7 touchdowns. 21 catches for 258 yard and 1 touchdown.
-Career Stats: 39 games (25 starts). 517 carries for 3,087 yards and 23 touchdowns. 58 catches for 679 yards and 4 touchdowns.
-Interesting Fact: 2nd in Kansas State school history at 5.97 yards per carry.
-Ballard’s Quote to Note: “We think he’s pretty talented. Remember, we took Marlon (Mack), who was excellent, Aaron Jones that year. It’s a very similar kind of draft where some guys kind of fell. Then it comes down to a lot of time it’s flavor. Like it really is. What do you want? What are you looking for? Look, I’m a big DJ (Giddens) fan. I think he is a really talented young man and I think he’s got a chance to help us in a lot of different ways.”
-Outlook: A Day 3 running back was always something that made sense for the Colts in 2025. Giddens actually brings a size, speed, production profile you don’t often see for a Day 3 pick. Perhaps that’s how running backs are now valued in today’s NFL. Nonetheless, Giddens walks into a running back room with plenty of unknown playing time behind Jonathan Taylor. Now, Giddens isn’t as third-down polished as some would have liked for the Colts in 2025. But he had moments there and probably is a more well-rounded to spell Taylor.
4. Round 6, Pick 189: Notre Dame Quarterback Riley Leonard (6-4, 216)
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-2024 Stats: 16 games (16 career starts). Completed 269-of-403 (66.7%) passes for 2,861 yards with 21 touchdowns and 8 interceptions, also ran 184 times for 906 yards and 17 touchdowns.
-Career Stats: 43 games (37 career starts). Completed 651-of-1,021 (63.7%) passes for 7,311 yards with 45 touchdowns and 18 interceptions, also ran 413 times for 2,130 yards and 36 touchdowns.
-Interesting Fact: From Fairhope, Alabama, where Philip Rivers currently resides.
-Ballard’s Quote to Note: “At that point in the draft – we liked Riley (Leonard) and we’ve been following him. We follow all these guys for their whole careers. We’ve been following him from Duke and then he goes to Notre Dame and has a lot of success. He had been training with Philip Rivers. So of course, that is a definite connection. But good to get him. He’s a good player, a good athlete. We think he’s got some upside. He’ll come in and compete.”
-Outlook: Throwing a quarterback dart in Day 3 made sense for the Colts, with Sam Ehlinger now in Denver. Ironically, Leonard’s limitations as a thrower have some similarities to Anthony Richardson. Leonard knows he needs to become a better operator from the pocket, and doing that with consistent 11-on-11 reps in practice will be hard to come by, given the starting quarterback battle ongoing in 2025. How much growth is needed for Leonard in this area? Well a quarterback with ideal size, dual-threat playmaking, pristine character and leather like toughness fell to pick No. 189 for a reason. Leonard will compete with Jason Bean for the 3rd quarterback spot in 2025, which is one Anthony Richardson injury away from being one play away from going into a game.