What grades from PFF did the current group of Indianapolis Colts’ tight ends receive for their performances last season?
(This story was updated to correct a typo.)
What grades from Pro Football Focus did the current group of Indianapolis Colts’ tight ends receive for their performances last season?
The addition of Tyler Warren to this room gives the Colts that much-needed passing game presence at the tight end position. Last season, the entire Colts’ tight end room combined for just 467 receiving yards on the year.
As GM Chris Ballard described after the draft, Warren can particularly be a real threat over the middle of the field, where his combination of size and athleticism makes him a difficult matchup.
However, his impact will go well beyond the passing game. Warren’s ability as a run-blocker and overall versatility, which allows him to be moved around the formation, adds some unpredictability to the offense with the variety of roles he can fill.
While Warren will be leading the way, in Shane Steichen’s offense that often uses two tight end sets, we will still see plenty of the other tight ends on the Colts’ depth chart.
Mo Alie-Cox and Drew Ogletree can fill those primary blocking roles as they have done, while Will Mallory or Jelani Woods could be the more pass-catching heavy option. However, not all four of those players are likely to make the final 53-man roster.
Now, as far as PFF’s grading system goes, I always want to add the caveat that this metric is far from the be-all end-all when it comes to evaluating a player’s performance. It is one tool out of many that are out there and should be treated as such.
For some context around these metrics, here is a look at PFF’s grading system to provide some context behind the numbers:
- 90.0+: Elite
- 80-89.9: High quality
- 70-79.9: Good
- 60-69.9: Above average
- 50-59.9: Average
- 40-49.9: Below average
- 39.9 or less: Poor
Alright, now let’s dive in.
Mo Alie-Cox
PFF grade: 64.5
Of Alie-Cox’s 475 snaps, 313 of them came as a blocker. In the run game, he ranked 15th among all tight ends in run-blocking grade. As a pass-catcher, Alie-Cox caught 12 passes for 147 yards with a touchdown.
Drew Ogletree
PFF grade: 69.1
Like Alie-Cox, Ogletree was primarily a blocker, with 313 of his 439 snaps coming in that capacity. He would rank third among all tight ends in PFF’s run-blocking grade last season. Ogletree would catch nine passes for 109 yards and a score.
Tyler Warren
PFF college grade: 91.3
As mentioned, Warren brings a do-it-all presence to the tight end position, able to line up across the formation–including out of the backfield–and hold his own as a run-blocker, while also making plays in the passing game. Last season with Penn State, Warren totaled over 100 receptions and over 1,200 receiving yards.
Will Mallory
PFF grade: 50.4
As the fourth tight end on the depth chart, Mallory’s role was small, with him playing just 93 snaps in 2024. He is, however, off to a strong start during this year’s offseason programs.
Jelani Woods
PFF grade: N/A
Woods missed the 2024 season due to a toe injury.
Maximilian Mang
PFF college grade: 64.9
Mang had just 14 targets over his five seasons at Syracuse, with just about all of his playing time coming as a blocker. Over his 164 run-blocking snaps in 2024, Mang graded out well with a 71.6 from PFF.
Sean McKeon
PFF grade: N/A
McKeon didn’t have any regular season snaps in 2024.
Albert Okwuegbunam
PFF grade: N/A
Okwuegbunam didn’t have any regular season snaps in 2024.
