Would Warren Warrant a First-Round Pick for Dolphins?

The Miami Dolphins entered the 2025 offseason with needs at several different positions

Penn State Nittany Lions tight end Tyler Warren (44) catches a touchdown pass over Boise State Broncos safety Ty Benefield (0) during their Vrbo Fiesta Bowl matchup at State Farm Stadium. / Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Miami Dolphins should have their pick of a really good prospect with the 13th overall selection in the 2025 NFL draft, and one of those players is Penn State tight end Tyler Warren.

He's actually been projected to the Miami's choice with that pick in three recent mock draft from national outlets The 33rd Team, Sharp Football Analysis and SB Nation.

If that were to materialize, it would mark the first time the Dolphins select a tight end in the first round.

But, with all due respect to Warren and his ability and his potential, this would be the wrong move for the Dolphins.

For a couple of significant reasons.

WHY WARREN ISN'T THE WAY TO GO FOR THE DOLPHINS

The first reason we don't like this idea — and we'll say this for the last time, this is zero reflection on Warren as an NFL prospect — is the Dolphins have bigger needs at other positions and the potential first-year impact of a tight end isn't nearly as significant as that of, say, a guard, defensive tackle, cornerback or safety.

Don't buy it?

Here's some recent anecdotal evidence: Since 2000, there have been 11 tight ends selected among the first 20 picks of a draft; only three of the teams that took a tight end in the top 20 finished that next season with a winning record and only two made the playoffs.

Those last two exceptions were the 2014 Detroit Lions after they drafted Eric Ebron 10th overall and the 2002 New York Giants after they took Jeremy Shockey 14th overall.

Then just look at the draft last year. The Las Vegas Raiders, taking in the same spot as the Dolphins this year at number 13, took Brock Bowers out of the University of Georgia. Bowers was brilliant, made the Pro Bowl, was named All-Pro ... and the Raiders finished 4-13.

Now, the Raiders had issues throughout their roster, so his impact always was going to be mitigated, but the point remains.

Taking Warren absolutely would add yet another dimension to the Dolphins offense even beyond what Jonnu Smith provided last year, but it's not like Miami is desperate for that kind of help.

Warren wouldn't move the needle nearly as much, again, as an impact player at one of the four aforementioned positions.

And the fact the Dolphins are in win-now mode, which is what happens when the owner has to release a statement indicating his coach and GM will be back the next season, makes Warren even more of a luxury they can't afford.

Taking Bowers made sense for the Raiders because they weren't going to win big in 2024 regardless of what they did in the draft and he can be a major factor when they become contenders.

The Dolphins need to be contenders in 2025 or else Grier and/or McDaniel won't be around in 2026.

And, as good a prospect as he is, it's not like Warren is going to be the needle-mover to get the Dolphins over the top in 2025.

So, sure, the idea of adding a potential George Kittle to the offense sounds great. It's just not very practical or logical.

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