Colston Loveland

Bears TE Colston Loveland Drew Extensive First-Round Trade Interest

May 7th, 2025 at 9:58pm CST by Ely Allen

In much of the leadup to the 2025 NFL Draft, there were two teams in the first round who were consistently connected to the class’s two clear-cut first-round prospects: the Bears and the Colts. The majority of pre-draft predictions saw each team landing one of either Penn State’s Tyler Warren or Michigan’s Colston Loveland, and while that did happen, there was a high likelihood that it could have turned out differently.

Interestingly, Warren spent most of the pre-draft process clearly ranked as TE1. A massive redshirt senior year saw Warren nab 104 receptions for 1,233 yards and eight touchdowns in 16 games. This was enough to overcome Loveland, who entered the 2024 season as the favorite to be the top tight end off the board following a promising, championship-winning 2023 campaign but only managed a pedestrian 56 catches for 582 yards and five touchdowns in 10 games last year.

This made it a bit of a surprise when the Bears, who had long been projected to select Warren and leave Loveland for the Colts, selected Loveland over Warren. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Loveland took back his TE1 status with some “week-of-draft buzz.” The Bears weren’t alone in their pursuit of Loveland, either. Per Fowler, multiple teams would have attempted to trade up for Loveland had he made it into the teens.

It turns out, if Chicago had taken Warren instead of Loveland, the Colts might not have gotten their tight end. Loveland’s traits and upside reportedly made him the top tight end in the eyes of many teams, and knowing the likelihood that Indianapolis was going to draft a tight end, teams who really wanted Loveland likely would have looked to trade up in front of the 14th overall pick in order to jump in front of the Colts.

Instead, the Bears walked away with their TE1. The lack of a trade up when Warren was left on the board seems to indicate that those who were interested in a first-round tight end agreed that Warren wasn’t worth the move up that they considered Loveland to be worthy of.

Draft Trade Notes: Chargers, Campbell, Loveland, Cowboys, Ravens, Conerly

April 25th, 2025 at 6:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Eagles wound up moving one spot up the first-round order last night. The move ensured the Super Bowl champions were able to select Jihaad Campbell, but that was not the only effort made to trade up the board.

Philadelphia negotiated with the Chargers about acquiring the No. 22 pick, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reports. He adds Los Angeles was in conversation with multiple teams while on the clock, but the proposed deal with the Eagles may very well have fallen through due to an “issue” communicating it to the league.

By rule, both teams must contact the NFL separately to report the terms of a trade agreement. Since that did not take place in time, the Bolts retained their pick and drafted North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton. The Eagles still wound up acquiring Campbell – the target of the attempted Chargers trade, per Florio – at No. 31. The Alabama product will look to make an immediate impact at the second level and/or on the edge during his rookie season.

Here are some other draft-related notes from last night’s opening round:

Colston Loveland was the first tight end to hear his name called on Thursday night. The Michigan alum went 10th overall to the Bears, a team which received interest for their top selection. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports Loveland was the subject of trade calls leading up to Chicago’s pick. Movement on the trade front only took place much later in the round after the Bears committed to staying put. When speaking to the media on Friday, Loveland revealed (via Scott Bair of Marquee Sports) he is halfway through his shoulder rehab; with progress continuing to be made, he will aim to return to full health in time for the start of his rookie campaign.
For the third time in the past four years, the Cowboys looked to the offensive line during the first round of the draft. Alabama Guard Tyler Booker went 12th overall, a move which came as no surprise considering where the team’s board stood at the time. David Moore of the Dallas Morning News reports Booker was the highest-rated player available at that point out of the remaining prospects. Moore adds the Cowboys had 12 prospects with a first-round grade, which helps explain the decision to remain in place instead of trading down.
When speaking to the media, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said (via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley) opportunities were presented to move down the order. Instead, Baltimore stayed put at No. 27 and took Georgia safety Malaki Starks. DeCosta said the team’s strong Starks evaluation allowed for the potential of a trade-down move to be outweighed by the upside of selecting him.
The Browns and Texans own the top two selections in the second round, and to no surprise both teams are receiving calls. Last night, though, Cleveland and Houston showed interest in acquiring a late Day 1 selection; Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports the target in both cases was Josh Conerly Jr. The Oregon tackle came off the board at No. 29 (Commanders), which put an end to those efforts. Of course, that suggests help along the O-line will be a priority tonight for those teams.

Bears Draft TE Colston Loveland At No. 10

April 24th, 2025 at 8:15pm CST by Adam La Rose

Tight end is, to little surprise, the position the Bears have targeted with the 10th overall pick. Rather than Tyler Warren, however, Chicago has selected Michigan’s Colston Loveland.

The tight end if coming off a 2024 campaign where he took over as Michigan’s top receiving option. Despite failing to reach his yardage total from 2023, Loveland still led the team in receptions (56), receiving yards (582), and receiving touchdowns (5) by a wide margin.

Those numbers also aren’t near the production put up by some of the more productive tight ends in the NCAA, but he still found himself as one of the top-ranked players at his position heading into the 2025 draft. Loveland and Warren were competing to be the first player at their position off the board, and it is a bit surprising that the former was the one to hear his name called first.

Still, at 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds, it’s easy to understand why the Bears opted for the player they did. The Bears were active last offseason as they added to rookie Caleb Williams‘ arsenal, and despite most of their offensive depth returning (Keenan Allen remains unsigned), the team is still investing on that side of the ball.

Tight end wasn’t necessarily a need for the Bears, and this selection could ultimately spell the end of Cole Kmet‘s tenure in Chicago. Kmet was handed a four-year, $50MM deal following his career year in 2023, although his numbers took an expected step back in 2024. With the addition of so many WRs, Kmet’s counting stats suffered, but he still finished the campaign with a career-high 70.9 percent success rate and 85.5 percent catching percentage.

The Bears surely won’t be in any rush to move on from Kmet, and the veteran could join his new rookie teammate as one of the league’s top TE duos. Still, with D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze around for the foreseeable future at receiver, there’s a chance Williams eventually settles on a trio of favorites, leaving Kmet on the outside looking in.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

NFC Draft Rumors: Cardinals, Bears, Loveland, Commanders, Coleman, Panthers

April 24th, 2025 at 12:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

Pass rushers and guards have come up as early-round Cardinals targets, but the team also appears to be strongly considering using a first-round pick on a wide receiver for a second straight year. Arizona is believed to want to add an impact weapon to its receiving corps, per ESPN.com’s Matt Miller. Arizona did not come off No. 4 overall, despite trade interest, last year, leading to Marvin Harrison Jr. heading to the desert. The Cardinals have Michael Wilson as a capable auxiliary option, but Miller points to offensive “firepower” being the team’s top priority heading into the draft. This is not viewed as a strong wide receiver class; options will still be available to Arizona at No. 16. The Cowboys have been closely tied to Tetairoa McMillan at 12, but Matthew Golden (he of a 4.29-second 40 clocking), Luther Burden and ex-Harrison college teammate Emeka Egbuka could well be available.

Here is the latest from some NFC draft blueprints:

The Bears‘ interest in Ashton Jeanty is either a elaborate smokescreen or quite legitimate, but if the 2024 Heisman runner-up is not available, Chicago has also been tied to rounding out its skill-position corps with a tight end pick. As the Colts would seemingly monitor this draft slot closely (due to their reported interest in the position), Miller adds the Bears are believed to have Colston Loveland slotted higher than Tyler Warren on their big board. This does not appear a universal view, as SI.com’s Albert Breer sends Warren to Chicago in his final mock draft. The Chargers, at 22, are Loveland’s rumored floor. The Colts, at 14, are expected to have a major say in where the two Big Ten-developed TE prospects go.
Favored to become a Patriot, Will Campbell is unlikely to be available for Chicago at No. 10. But the Chicago Sun-Times’ Jason Lieser notes the team informed the LSU product he would play left tackle were he to wind up in the Windy City. This may not be relevant to the Bears’ No. 10 overall slot, but it seems pertinent to Braxton Jones‘ future. The three-year Bears LT starter is recovering from an ankle injury, one likely to prevent him from starting training camp on time, and entering a contract year.
Holding a pick two spots earlier, the Panthers are interested in trading down. In fact, Breer adds Carolina is “doing everything they can” to move down. The Panthers were mentioned as a team considering taking a less-than-ideal offer to move down from No. 8, as the team can still be classified as rebuilding — especially after circling back to Bryce Young following the September benching. While linked closely to Jalon Walker, Carolina sounds open for business — in a draft not featuring many teams angling to move into the top 10.
The Commanders added Laremy Tunsil and kept Andrew Wylie (via a pay-cut agreement), but they are still interested in bolstering their O-line in Round 1. The team is interested in adding a starter here, ESPN.com’s John Keim notes, indicating the team has shown interest in Alabama guard Tyler Booker and Oregon tackle Josh Conerly Jr. The team’s Tunsil addition will allow for a Brandon Coleman (12 rookie-year left tackle starts) move to right tackle, Keim adds, but the draft will determine the team’s strategy here. Washington has Wylie signed for one more season and has eight-figure-per-year interior linemen Sam Cosmi and Tyler Biadasz. Left guard and right tackle appear areas the team will explore upgrading, however.
If the Commanders do not like the blockers available at No. 29, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter connects them to UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger. Also a potential Bills target, Schwesinger profiles as a potential late first-rounder. The team re-signed Bobby Wagner and saw Frankie Luvu make significant contributions after signing in 2024. Wagner, however, will be 35 soon and is attached to another one-year contract.

Rams High On Tyler Shough; Team Eyeing TE-Based Trade-Up In Round 1?

April 23rd, 2025 at 1:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

Not seeing Stetson Bennett make much progress as a potential long-term option, the Rams re-signed Jimmy Garoppolo as Matthew Stafford‘s backup. The team, however, still needs a post-Stafford answer; the QB will play an age-37 season in 2025.

This draft is not teeming with QB options like last year’s brought, but the Rams are starting to emerge as a threat to land one of the passers. The team is viewed as a potential first-round dark horse for one, and ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler indicates it is believed to be high on Louisville’s Tyler Shough.

Considering Shough’s background, he would be an interesting choice for a team that has Stafford on his current contact — terms of his adjusted deal are still not known — through 2026. Shough will turn 26 later this year, having played seven college seasons. The former Justin Herbert Oregon backup has since bounced to Texas Tech and Louisville. But he has generated steady interest — potentially as a late first-rounder — during the pre-draft process.

The Giants both hosted Shough on a “30” visit and worked him out, while the Browns, Raiders, Saints and Seahawks have done work on the experienced QB as well. The Rams do not have a second-round pick this year, having sent it to the Panthers to move up for Braden Fiske in 2024. That would complicate a potential Shough path, but it would also make Los Angeles’ No. 26 overall pick one to watch.

However, the Rams having agreed to another reworked deal with Stafford also would point to that pick being used as a way to strengthen a team that tested the eventual champion Eagles in last year’s divisional round. That loss came several months after the Rams tried to trade up for Brock Bowers last year, and The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports the team is on the radar to move up for one of this year’s tight end prospects.

The Rams hit on their first-rounder last year (Jared Verse), after not making a first-round pick since 2016, but they spent most of the season without starter Tyler Higbee. They also saw Bowers set a rookie TE record for receiving yardage (1,194) as a Raider. While Higbee remains under contract, he is entering an age-32 season.

This year’s draft also brings TE help, as teams are lining up as Tyler Warren suitors. Colston Loveland is expected to go off the board in Round 1 as well, with Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz adding the Chargers (at No. 22) should serve as his floor. L.A.’s other team lost out on Evan Engram to the Broncos and could use another weapon here.

If the Rams are to make a move for a tight end or address another position in Round 1, they may join a parade of teams aiming to use Day 2 picks on a QB — via a direct pick or a trade-up move. The Rams hold two third-round picks (Nos. 90 and 101).

Further illustrating their QB interest, ESPN.com’s Matt Miller notes the hosted Jalen Milroe on a “30” visit. Although Milroe’s skillset differs wildly from Stafford’s, the Rams would stand to have time to develop the raw prospect due to their current starter’s timetable. It looks like they can safely be added to the list of teams in the mix for this draft’s second tier of QBs.

Draft Rumors: Golden, Lions, Texans, Bolts, Broncos, Commanders, Raiders, Browns, Saints, Seahawks, Loveland, Panthers

April 17th, 2025 at 7:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

Matthew Golden‘s 4.29-second 40-yard dash showing at the Combine helped solidify him as one of this draft class’ top receiver prospects. Not quite a first-round pick in Ely Allen’s PFR mock draft, Golden has landed on the radar as a candidate to go on Day 1. The former Houston and Texas wideout has met with the Broncos, Buccaneers, Packers and Cowboys; he made some more trips before this week’s “30” visit deadline. Golden met with the Lions, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, and stopped through the Chargers and Texans‘ facilities, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah ranks Golden as his No. 16 overall prospect, despite the talented pass catcher not posting a 1,000-yard season in college. He will almost definitely become the third Texas receiver drafted in the first or second round in two years, following Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell.

A week out, here is the latest from the draft:

Golden submitted the second-fastest 40 time at the Combine; Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston was fastest, at 4.28. Jeremiah’s No. 35 overall prospect, Hairston made some late visits as well. He also met with the Lions, while also spending time at the Commanders and Raiders‘ facilities, according to Rapoport. Finally, his tour included a Broncos meeting Tuesday, 9News’ Mike Klis adds. Among pure corners (non-Travis Hunter division), Jeremiah ranks Hairston behind only Jahdae Barron (Texas) and Will Johnson (Michigan). Hairston intercepted five passes in 2023, amassing 131 return yards and two TDs. The 6-foot-1 CB added another pick-six last season.
Primarily linked to using their No. 20 overall pick on a skill-position player, the Broncos also used a “30” visit on Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen, Klis adds. The Broncos re-signed D.J. Jones (three years, $39MM) but have starters Zach Allen and John Franklin-Myers in contract years. Both are believed to be on Denver’s extension radar, but the team has some post-2025 questions here.
The Texans also spoke with Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka via Zoom, Wilson notes. A quality slot receiver who played as a sidekick to the likes of Marvin Harrison Jr. and Jeremiah Smith in Columbus, Egbuka profiles as one of the safer picks at the position in this year’s draft. The slot weapon sandwiched an injury-limited 2023 season with 1,000-yard showings, helping the Buckeyes cover for Jaxon Smith-Njigba‘s near-full-season absence in 2022. Egbuka also met with the Cowboys and Packers.
Shifting to the eight end market, Colston Loveland is expected to be a mid-first-round pick next week, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz notes, mentioning a 10-22 range in connection with the Wolverines standout. While not rivaling the monster stat line Tyler Warren produced last season, Loveland still made key contributions to Michigan’s 2023 national championship and has checked in consistently as this draft’s second-best tight end prospect. Loveland’s 56 catches set a Michigan TE record last year, and Schultz adds the high-level prospect has interviewed well. If Warren is off the board early, Loveland may not drop past the TE-needy Colts (No. 14).
Mason Taylor has made a case to become this draft’s third tight end selection. The younger brother of Hall of Famer Jason Taylor, Mason finished up his pre-draft visit schedule with Browns, Saints and Seahawks meetings, Schultz adds. Jeremiah’s No. 32 overall prospect, Taylor is part of a deep TE class. While the group may not match what 2023 brought, prospect-wise, the Warren-Loveland-Taylor-Elijah Arroyo contingent will generate considerable intrigue from teams who just saw a tight end (Brock Bowers) immediately become a team’s go-to target. Taylor caught 55 passes for 546 yards at LSU last season.
The Panthers completed a recent visit with UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger, Rapoport adds. Schwesinger was popular on the “30” circuit this year, already meeting with the Raiders after conducting a private pro day in L.A. earlier this month.

Draft Rumors: Carter, Walker, Miami, Loveland

February 26th, 2025 at 8:59pm CST by Ely Allen

The NFL Scouting Combine starts tomorrow, February 27, and will continue through Sunday, March 2. In a prospect pool that has been reportedly devoid of top-end talent but full of starters and contributors, the combine will be a prime opportunity for players to display their most impressive attributes and stand out.

One of the few elite players in the class who does not need to display anything at the combine, Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter will reportedly not be working out this weekend, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Carter is still recovering from a shoulder injury he suffered in the team’s playoff game versus Boise State, an injury he played through against the Fighting Irish in the following round of the 12-team playoff.

Per Turron Davenport, also of ESPN, Carter claims to be at about 90 percent. Carter’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has sent a letter to all NFL teams informing them that his client has been cleared to resume training and will be cleared to workout in time for his pro day on March 28.

Here are a few other draft and combine rumors before the event starts tomorrow:

Similarly, Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker will not be working out at the combine, per ESPN’s Katherine Terrell. He is currently working his way back from a quad injury. He plans to workout at his school’s pro day, as well.
We’ve already heard that Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders will not throw at the combine, choosing to focus solely on team interviews, but Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss), Jalen Milroe (Alabama), and Riley Leonard (Notre Dame) will all reportedly throw this weekend, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. A determination has not yet been made for Miami passer Cam Ward, who is expected to challenge for the top pick in the draft with Carter and Sanders.
One of Ward’s top targets in Coral Gables, tight end Elijah Arroyo, will unfortunately not be participating this weekend, per Rapoport. Arroyo made waves at the Senior Bowl as an incredibly athletic mismatch for any defender, linebacker or defensive back. Unfortunately, at the same event, he suffered a knee injury that will hold him out in Indianapolis. He is expected to be ready to workout at his pro day on March 24.
Carter wasn’t the only prospect who had a doctor send a letter on his behalf this week. Notorious sports medicine specialist Dr. Neal Elattrache sent out a letter to all 32 teams claiming that Michigan tight end Colston Loveland will be able to participate in minicamp and will be fully cleared in time for training camp after undergoing shoulder surgery last month, per Schefter. As the letter insinuates, Loveland will be unavailable to work out at the combine or his pro day.
Lastly, we saw one more letter going out, this one from Dr. Daniel Cooper, the surgeon who performed an ACL reconstruction on East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel back in October. Cooper tells the league that Revel is on schedule to be fully cleared by the summer. Revel will still attend the combine for interviews and medical checks, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Michigan TE Colston Loveland Declares For Draft

December 15th, 2024 at 9:58pm CST by Ely Allen

As a sophomore last year, tight end Colston Loveland was celebrating a national championship victory with the rest of his Wolverine teammates. A year later, after a disappointing team effort out of Ann Arbor, Loveland is looking to join a number of those former teammates in the NFL. It was on Instagram that Loveland authored a post announcing that he would forgo his senior year and leave for the 2025 NFL Draft.

The top prospect coming out of the state of Idaho, the Gooding HS alumnus was considered a top 10 tight end as a recruit. Loveland fielded a range of offers from some of the best schools, including Alabama, Auburn, and LSU out of the SEC and Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon State, Colorado, UCLA, and Utah out of what was then the Pac-12. He also pulled obvious offers from in-state Idaho State and Boise State, but ultimately, he opted for the only Big Ten school to offer him, signing with Michigan.

As a true freshman, Loveland played second fiddle to Luke Schoonmaker as TE2. He took over TE1 duties in his sophomore year and was the second-leading receiver on the offense for the national champion Wolverines, finishing behind only Roman Wilson in receiving yards (649) and receiving touchdowns (4) while finishing third in receptions (45). This season, Loveland took over as Michigan’s top receiving option. Despite failing to reach his yardage total from 2023, Loveland led the team in receptions (56), receiving yards (582), and receiving touchdowns (5) by a wide margin.

Those numbers also aren’t near the production put up by some of the more productive tight ends in the NCAA, but that hasn’t stopped draft pundits from listing Loveland as one of the top options, if not the top option, for tight ends coming into the NFL next year. This is reflected in analytics, where Pro Football Focus (subscription required) lists Loveland as the fifth-best tight end in college football this year.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper lists Loveland as the 21st-best overall prospect and the second-best tight end, behind only Penn State’s Tyler Warren, the NCAA’s Mackey Award winner for best tight end in college football this year. Kiper’s colleagues — Jordan Reid, Matt Miller, and Field Yates — rank Loveland at first, second, and first, respectively, flip-flopping spots with Warren. Dane Brugler of The Athletic has Loveland as the 13th-best overall prospect and the top tight end, with Warren slotting in as the 26th-best overall prospect.

It’s clear that Loveland and Warren are viewed as TE1 and TE2 in whichever order for this year’s draft class. The only thing left to determine is where they will fall in the draft come April. Brugler and Kiper seem to be of the mindset that both players are deserving of a first-round pick, but as always, it will be up to general managers around the league to set the draft stock for the tight end position. If any tight ends are going on Day 1, expect to hear one or both of Loveland and Warren’s names.