Tyler Warren and Saquon Barkley are more similar than one might think, per Penn State coach James Franklin.
Among the many accolades Barkley received while putting together one of the best careers in Penn State history from 2015-17 was winning the Paul Hornung Award— presented to the nation’s most versatile player— after the 2017 season.
Barkley received that award because of his contributions as a running back, receiver and kickoff returner.
This season, Warren has been arguably the best tight end in college football, with 681 yards and four touchdowns on 51 catches. But he’s been much more than that for Penn State. He’s spent time at running back (13 carries, 94 yards, three TD) and quarterback, which, if you don’t know by now, was the position he played in high school.
Warren is one of three finalists— the first tight end in college football history to make it this far— along with Colorado’s Travis Hunter and Louisville’s Isaac Brown.
WHAT WARREN, BARKLEY SHARE
Tyler Warren rumbles for a big gain to get the Nittany Lions into a goal-to-go situation late in the fourth quarter.
PASADENA, CA – JANUARY 02: Penn State Nittany Lions RB Saquon Barkley (26) during the second quarter of the USC Trojans game versus the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Rose Bowl Game on January 2, 2017, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA. (Photo by Adam Davis/Icon Sportswire)
“I think the number one thing is they’re both selfless, great teammates,” Franklin told reporters in his weekly Wednesday post-practice media scrum. “Tyler Warren is like a case study in terms of media training for our freshmen. I mean, every time you guys interview him and you ask him a questions about these awards and these records, he finds a way to redirect the question constantly back to his teammates or the program. And Saquon was the same way. Just great teammates, which, to me, is the best compliment that you can get. And then obviously when they have opportunities to impact the game, both of them have done that on a very, very significant level.
“I’m a huge fan. I’m a huge fan of him, his family, he’s been that way from the very beginning.”
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Saquon Barkley won the Paul Hornung Award (most versatile player) in 2017.
Penn State coach James Franklin has endorsed TE Tyler Warren for that award this year.
I asked Franklin about the similarities between Warren and Saquon, and he spoke about it for 2 minutes. pic.twitter.com/Nt3rCZIAqA
— Joe Smeltzer (@joesmeltzer775) November 14, 2024
WHAT WARREN SHARED
Penn State tight end Tyler Warren runs against USC on Oct. 12, 2024. — Angel Pena / Nittany Sports Now
Franklin then told the media a story about what Warren told the team during a “group share” earlier in the season.
Not only was Warren not sure he’d turn into of college football’s best players at Penn State, he wasn’t even sure he’d be a regular.
“He got up and said, as a true freshman, he didn’t know if he’d ever play here,” Franklin said. “For our freshmen and some sophomores to be sitting in that room and they’re questioning the same thing, and you’re hearing Tyler Warren say that you’re like, ‘wow,’” Franklin said. “You’d never think Tyler Warren felt that way based on how he’s playing right now.”
Franklin summed up Warren well.
“To me, it’s not even a question that he’s the best tight end in college football,” he said. “You can make the argument, he’s one of the most impactful football players in all of college football.”
