What else was he supposed to say?

Penn State tight end Tyler Warren, widely considered the top player available at his position in this year’s draft class, was asked about the possibility of playing with Indianapolis Colts QB Anthony Richardson.

“He’s definitely one of a kind and a heck of an athlete at the quarterback position,” Warren said at last week’s NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. “He’s a great quarterback, too, so (playing with him would) be really cool.”

“He’s definitely one of a kind and a heck of an athlete at the quarterback position. And he’s a great quarterback, too, so that’d be really cool.”

Maybe Warren really does think highly of Richardson, Indy’s ultra-athletic QB, but objectively speaking, he is not a great quarterback. Not even close. Two days before Warren spoke glowingly of Richardson — and every other NFL player and franchise he was asked about during what was essentially a week-long job interview — Colts GM Chris Ballard declared an open competition at QB.

In other words, if Richardson — the No. 4 pick in 2023 — plans to remain the starter in 2025, he’ll have to win the job against a to-be-determined challenger. A player like Warren could be vital to Richardson’s growth if the Colts select him with the No. 14 pick, but they’re not the only team interested in him. There’s a real chance Warren could be chosen before Indy is on the clock, which begs the question: If Warren is plan A, then what’s plan B? The answer may be Michigan’s Colston Loveland.

Or how about this: Could Loveland be Plan A?

Throughout numerous conversations about the Colts’ need to upgrade at tight end, I left the combine thinking the gap between Warren and Loveland is much smaller than some people believe. And a few people I spoke with didn’t think there was any gap at all.

The Athletic’s draft guru, Dane Brugler, was kind enough to weigh in on this subject. Here’s what he said and what it could mean for the Colts.

I’ve heard so much about Warren leading up to the draft, but it sounds like Loveland is a heck of a player, too. Is there an argument for drafting Loveland over Warren?

Brugler: With Loveland, you’re getting more upside, a guy who is still figuring out how good he can be. He turns 21 a few weeks before the draft. He’s not Brock Bowers, but it’s the same type of plan. The way the Las Vegas Raiders used Bowers last year, where he’d be in the backfield, he’d be out wide, he’d be in the slot. … You make him the focal point of your offense, and if you do that with Loveland, you might not get quite Brock Bowers, but you might get pretty close. So, I think that’s the argument to take Loveland.

My takeaway: Bowers, who stands 6 feet 4 and weighs 230 pounds, produced a historic rookie campaign en route to being named first-team All-Pro in 2024. So, when Brugler invokes Bowers’ name when talking about Loveland, it’s a heck of a compliment. Of course, it would be naïve to think Loveland (6-5, 248 pounds) would dominate like Bowers did in his first season, especially as he recovers from right shoulder surgery.

Loveland said at the combine that he won’t be able to absorb contact until six months after his procedure, which he underwent Jan. 29, so he won’t be a full-go until the end of July. But assuming Loveland doesn’t suffer any setbacks, Brugler believes his impressive ball skills and versatility as a route runner could be maximized with a creative play caller such as Colts coach Shane Steichen.

Loveland is ranked as the No. 11 player on your latest top 100 big board, with Warren right ahead of him at No. 10. What’s the argument for Warren to be taken first?

Brugler: Warren can do a lot of the same things. He is a really good athlete. I don’t want it to sound like Loveland’s the (good) athlete and Warren’s not. Because Warren’s testing should be really, really good (at Penn State’s pro day). But he’s just a little more experienced in terms of his (skill set). I wouldn’t say his route running and blocking are polished. They’re just further along than Loveland. Warren is more of your prototypical tight end. He can be in-line and can do a lot of things you want him to do as a blocker.

My takeaway: Brugler praised Warren, who stands 6-5 and weighs 256 pounds, for his noteworthy campaign. The 22-year-old finished with 104 catches for 1,233 yards and eight TDs in 2024 compared to Loveland’s 56 catches for 582 yards and five TDs. However, Brugler was quick to point out that the QB play was far superior at Penn State compared to Michigan.

Obviously, the QB play in Indy hasn’t been up to par, so with Richardson likely entering a make-or-break Year 3, a more ready-made product like Warren appears to be the safer bet. When Brugler mentioned that Warren was “further along” and noted that he’ll be a better blocker than Loveland as a rookie, that made my ears perk up and led me to my next question.

Let’s say both tight ends are still on the board at No. 14. Assuming Richardson retains the starting job, we know so much of the Colts’ success will be riding on his shoulders in 2025. So which tight end is the better fit for him and a Colts offense that will likely still lean on the run more than the pass?

Brugler: I think that’s where Warren feels like such a perfect fit. He’s more ready to go out of the box. You’re trying to figure it out at quarterback. Nobody is promised next year. So, a guy who’s ready to go from Day 1, there’s certainly value in that. You might be sacrificing a little bit of upside, but you know you’re getting a really good player from Day 1. … You still have to do what’s best for your team, not just for 2025, but for the next four or five years. That’s how Ballard has to think. You can’t make (the pick) just based off of what’s gonna help Anthony, but at the same time, it should factor into your decision.

My takeaway: Brugler is spot on when assessing the pressure everyone — from QB to coach to GM — should be feeling in Indianapolis. So far, the plan for Richardson to become the face of the franchise has failed. The latest evidence is Ballard cracking the door open for Richardson to potentially be supplanted in 2025. But judging by the QBs available on the free-agent market, it remains in the team’s best interest for Richardson to turn the corner in Year 3. So, if Warren is more of a plug-and-play tight end than Loveland, he should get the nod on the Colts’ big board.

To be clear: If Warren is off the board by the 14th pick but Loveland is still there, is Loveland worthy of being drafted by the Colts?

Brugler: Yes, there’s no doubt. I look at it like this: I can understand (from a team-building approach) if you’re hesitant to draft a tight end that high. I understand that. But I don’t understand why you’d be OK with one and not the other.

My takeaway: Brugler put his money where his mouth was in his latest mock draft, pairing the Colts with Loveland after sending Warren to the New Orleans Saints at No. 9.

In his conversation with me, Brugler made it clear Loveland shouldn’t be viewed as a backup plan if Warren is drafted ahead of him. He reiterated that it will likely come down to a team’s preference, regarding both the prospects themselves and a franchise’s team-building philosophy. From the Colts’ point of view, I don’t think No. 14 is too high to select a tight end.

Keep in mind, veterans Mo Alie-Cox and Kylen Granson are set to become unrestricted free agents, and with those two leading the way in 2024, Indy’s tight end room finished with just 467 receiving yards, which was the second-lowest mark in the league. Part of that was due to Richardson’s league-low 47.7 completion percentage, but part of that also was indicative of the Colts’ inability to find a consistent pass-catching tight end since the days of Jack Doyle. From that perspective, Warren or Loveland would be welcome upgrades.

Final thought

For what it’s worth, this year’s top two tight end prospects seem to fit the tough-guy mold that would endear them to Colts fans. During the combine, Loveland shared stories about participating in rodeo while growing up in Idaho.

“You only get one shot in rodeo. You get one ride. You get one run,” Loveland said. “Football is the same way. Obviously, you get (more) plays, but it’s that one play where you gotta take full advantage of it.”

Meanwhile, Warren drew a few laughs from members of the media while reflecting on early film sessions with his father, Terry. Nicknamed the “The Hitman” for the vicious hits he once dealt out as a safety at the University of Richmond, Terry Warren always wanted his son to be the hammer and not the nail, even if he was playing offense.

“I wear (No.) 44 because when I was younger, my dad put on John Riggins film,” Warren said, referencing the hard-nosed Hall of Fame fullback. “He said, ‘This is how I want you to run the ball.’”

Aside from Warren and Loveland, Brugler also emphasized that it’s a deep tight end class, so if the Colts go a different direction with the 14th pick, it’s understandable considering their other needs, particularly in the secondary. LSU’s Mason Taylor, Miami’s Elijah Arroyo and Texas’ Gunnar Helm are a few Day 2 tight end prospects whom Brugler thinks would be good fits in Indianapolis.