George Kittle is a one-of-one tight end that can’t be replaced, but the 49ers will at some point need to address the fact that the offensive star will not be able to play forever.
The 31-year-old All-Pro has been a key part of Kyle Shanahan’s scheme since being selected in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. While there is no exact comp for Kittle, NFL draft expert Daniel Jeremiah believes that the top tight ends in this year’s class will be instant contributors at the next level.
Jeremiah spoke to national media via conference call on Wednesday and detailed the top tight end prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft.
“Tyler Warren is my fifth overall player because his mixture of just size, physicality,” Jeremiah said. “He just walls guys off. He looks like a billboard rolling down the seam. He’s enormous. He has a huge catch radius.
“He is so physical and tough with the ball in his hands after the catch. They use him on the wild cat stuff and use him as a runner and do those different things because he’s a really hard guy to get on the ground.”
Warren spent five years at Penn State and after a stand out senior season, received the seventh most Heisman Trophy votes in 2024. After recording 34 catches on 49 targets for 422 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023, the Nittany Lion had a break out senior year.
In 2024 Warren racked up 104 receptions on 135 targets for 1,230 yards and eight touchdowns. His 6-foot-6, 261 pound frame is an obvious mismatch against most linebackers.
PFF lists Warren as their No. 10 overall prospect, while Jeremiah has the Penn State product going to the New York Jets at No. 7 in his latest mock draft. Still, Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers, who was selected with the No. 13 overall pick in 2024, received a higher pre-draft grade from the NFL Network expert.
“I had a higher grade on Brock Bowers, I’ll cut to the chase, than I do on these tight ends,” Jeremiah said. “I really like both of them, though. We don’t quite have the same top-end depth as in years past.”
The second tight end prospect Jeremiah is referring to is Michigan’s Colston Loveland, who he has mocked to be selected by the Denver Broncos with the No. 20 overall selection. The three-year Wolverine did not have as big of a receiving season as Warren but still found the end zone five times after recording 56 catches on 82 targets for 582 yards.
Jeremiah sees Warren as more of a physical player that is tough to bring down while Loveland is a slightly more of a finessed route runner, able to get in and out of breaks more fluidly. Both would be valuable additions as targets for Brock Purdy.
One thing that neither of the two prospects possess is a high PFF grade as a run-blocker, which is what makes Kittle so unique. Both Warren (52.8) and Loveland (53.3) run blocking grades are well below what Kyle Shanahan expects from his tight ends, who are often used as “extra” lineman in the formation.
In the past, the 49ers have valued tight ends that have been predominantly blockers in the likes of Ross Dwelley and Charlie Woerner who both spent the past season with the Atlanta Falcons. 2024 tight ends Eric Saubert, Brayden Willis and Mason Pline all filled the club’s run-blocking need as well.
Big decisions are ahead for the 49ers, and that includes trying to find a tight end that can do it all. One thing is certain, there is only one George Kittle, and his shoes will be very difficult to fill.
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