Addressing the tight end position will be one of the items at the top of the Indianapolis Colts’ offseason to-do list.
As general manager Chris Ballard pointed out after the season, the Colts did not get enough passing game production from that unit in 2024.
So naturally, a popular pick for the Colts in many, many mock drafts is Penn State’s Tyler Warren. A versatile and well-rounded tight end who would bring juice to the passing game and also provide help in the running game.
However, widely considered the top tight end in this year’s class, as Daniel Jeremiah’s recent big board and mock draft points out, it’s possible that Warren isn’t on the board when the Colts are picking at 14th overall.
So then what?
Well, at this week’s Senior Bowl there are three tight ends in particular to keep your eyes on as practices take place and the eventual All-Star game is played who could help the Colts get more production out of that position group.
Elijah Arroyo, Miami
According to NFL.com, Arroyo was one of the standout performers on Day 1 of Senior Bowl practices and he then had another productive day on Thursday during the red zone period.
The 2024 season was a breakout year for Arroyo, who would catch 35 of his 47 targets for 590 yards at a hefty 16.9 yards per catch with seven touchdowns. Among all tight ends last season, he ranked second in yards per catch and first in average YAC.
Here is a snippet of what Lance Zierlein had to say about Arroyo in his pre-draft report:
“He’s an average athlete who struggles to beat man coverage but appeared to get faster and more fluid as the 2024 season wore on. He plays with awareness in space and secures throws with sure hands in traffic.”
Mason Taylor, LSU
Along with Arroyo, Taylor was another prospect who has stood out during the Senior Bowl practices.
Taylor has three years worth of production and steady play in the LSU offense under his belt. He’s been a reliable target, catching 71% of his passes during that span, while averaging 10.1 yards per catch with six touchdowns. He’s also graded out well as a blocker by PFF’s metrics.
For more, here’s Zierlein on Taylor:
“He’s a smooth athlete with adequate acceleration and the tools to become a more effective route runner in time. He feels defenders around him and catches with sudden hands and elevated focus when needed.”
Harold Fannin Jr., Bowling Green
Fannin weighed in at only 238 pounds at the Senior Bowl, but was a highly productive pass catcher this past season.
Fannin put together a monster season, totaling 1,555 receiving yards–the most among any tight end in the FBS–on 117 receptions, while averaging 13.3 yards per catch with 10 touchdowns. He also led all tight ends in yards per route run as well.
Of note, only 38% of Fannin’s snaps came lined up in-line. He has ample experience as well lining up outside. There are a variety of ways that offenses can get the ball into his hands.
For more on Fannin, Kyle Crabbs of the 33rd Football Team had this to say in his scouting report:
“Harold Fannin Jr. is an offensive weapon who can provide a slew of layers into an offensive playbook. His natural receiving skills are evident when watching him catch targets and pluck the football with his hands.”
