Michigan TE Colston Loveland selected by Chicago Bears in first round of 2025 NFL Draft
The Chicago Bears have drafted Michigan Wolverines tight end Colston Loveland in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft at pick No. 10 overall.
Loveland set the program record for receptions by a tight end in Michigan history this season with 56 grabs for 582 yards and 5 touchdowns in 10 games played. The third-year pass catcher missed the USC and Ohio State games – both Michigan victories – due to injuries. He led the team in receiving in every game he played this season.
During Michigan’s national championship run in 2023, he hauled in 45 catches for 649 yards and 4 touchdowns. His freshman season saw him grab 16 balls for 235 yards and 2 scores. Pro Football Focus had him as the No. 16 prospect in the class heading into draft night.
“ Another one of the recruits that we lost, but anyway, beat us in the playoffs,” former Alabama head coach Nick Saban said. “But this guy is a fantastic athlete. He’s the best receiver of all the tight ends in the draft, in my opinion, because his athletic ability and his ability to separate at the top of the route and beat man-to-man coverage. He has natural hands, long arms, which gives him a big catch radius.”
Loveland, who was a four-star recruit, No. 268 overall player and No. 13 tight end in the 2022 class, leaves as one of the best in his position in college football. Loveland recorded 117 catches for 1,466 yards and 11 touchdowns in his career, averaging 12.5 yards per reception.
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“Talented young tight end with the athletic ability and ball skills to become an elite talent as a pass catcher,” NFL.com‘s Lance Zierlein says. “Colston plays the game like a big wideout, capable of separating from man coverage and making plays on all three levels. He has good play speed and runs a route tree full of branches, allowing creative play-callers to move him around as a mismatch option. His routes can be a little hurried and lacking in detail but that should change with coaching. He’s graceful in-air and catches the ball with good timing and strong hands. He will keep filling out his frame but is unlikely to ever become more than average as a blocker. Colston’s collection of athletic traits and catch talent creates a high ceiling with the opportunity to become a high-volume target and future Pro Bowler.”
Michigan knows that Loveland is about as NFL-ready as it gets and that it needs to plan for life after him. Position coach Steve Casula has had the chance to get the up-close look since arriving this winter and has seen him clear every benchmark possible.
“I’ve never coached in the NFL, but from my time here, my time at Ferris State, I’ve been around a handful of NFL players,” Casula said. “I’ve only ever been to one NFL practice in my life. If he’s not ready to go play in the NFL, I don’t know who would be. Like, he’s outstanding. I think when you compare his movement skills, his athleticism, ball skills, all that kind of stuff, I think you could compare him against NFL players. Like, now, obviously, you know, it’s going to be a reset button for him whenever he goes to the NFL, but without having the experience of having coached in the NFL, golly, if he’s not ready to go play in the NFL, I don’t know who would be. So I say that very much as a compliment to him. So I think he is.”
