With the Indianapolis Colts on their bye week, let’s take a look ahead to the 2025 NFL draft with Pro Football Focus’ top tight ends.
Addressing the tight end position will have to be a top priority for the Colts in the offseason. This is a position where the Colts have gotten very little from in the passing game.
Prior to the New England game in Week 13, the Colts’ tight end room had combined for 26 receptions for 299 yards with two scores.
Alie-Cox is the current leading receiving option in that room, with 132 yards and a touchdown.
For some context, before last week’s game, there were 28 individual tight ends who had more receptions than the Colts’ entire tight end room and 25 who had more receiving yards.
With that said, blocking is another key component to playing this position, but up until the Patriots game it’s not as if the Colts were lights out on the ground by any means with Jonathan Taylor averaging 2.9 yards per carry since Week 9 without the 58 yard run versus Buffalo factored in.
To state the obvious, those run game woes certainly don’t only fall on the tight end position; the offensive line was struggling, but if the run game isn’t effective and there aren’t steady contributions in the passing game being made, then there just isn’t much in terms of production coming from that position.
Particularly for a team that uses two tight end sets as often as the Colts do, having essentially non-factors in the passing game at that position puts your offense at a numbers disadvantage.
More help in the passing game from this position is a must, but ideally, to mesh best with Shane Steichen’s offense, the Colts add a well-rounded player or two to that room, who can impact both the run and passing games, bringing added versatility and unpredictability to the offense.
A tight end with the ability to impact both the running and passing games can unlock a lot for an offense, creating mismatches, added versatility, all of which can open up opportunities for others.
So with all of that said, let’s take a look at Trevor Sikkema’s top tight ends in the 2025 draft class. In parenthesis is the player’s overall ranking on Sikkema’s big board.
For a closer look at each prospect, click here.
Colston Loveland, Michigan (20)
Tyler Warren, Penn State (31)
Mason Taylor, LSU (54)
Gunnar Helm, Texas (55)
Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt (78)
