Colston Loveland

Summary

Colston Loveland was selected in Round 1 (#10 Overall) in the 2025 Draft out of the University of Michigan. Over his collegiate career, Loveland produced 1,500+ receiving yards and 10+ touchdowns, becoming the Wolverines’ most consistent downfield passing threat at the position. In 2023, he recorded 45 receptions for 649 yards, earning Second-Team All-Big Ten honors, and followed it with an even more productive 2024 season that elevated his national profile.bLoveland is widely viewed as a modern “move” tight end who is consistently praise his football intelligence, competitiveness, work ethic, and team-first mentality, traits that allowed him to thrive in a balanced offense where tight ends were asked to block, route-run, and contribute in high-leverage moments.

Strengths

• Receiving Threat: Natural pass catcher with soft hands and strong ball-tracking ability down the seam. Moves smoothly in space and accelerates well out of breaks for a tight end.

• Route Running for Position: Advanced understanding of leverage and creates separation against linebackers and safeties. Competitive runner who breaks arm tackles and gains extra yards through balance and effort.

• Mismatch Potential: Too athletic for linebackers and too big for most safeties in coverage. Aligns in-line, slot, wing, or motion; effective on crossers, seams, and play-action concepts.

• Hands in Traffic: Comfortable catching through contact and finishing plays over the middle. Plays with edge and effort and embraces physical football.

Weaknesses

• Functional Strength as Blocker: Willing blocker but not yet dominant and can be displaced by powerful edge defenders. Can play upright, limiting leverage in run-blocking situations.

• Route Tree Expansion: Though he is essentially a WR in a TE body, he is still developing as a full-field route runner and not yet a complete isolation weapon.

• Inline Power: Better as a position blocker than a true point-of-attack mauler. Still learning to factor his lower body to anchor and push through contact.

• Durability & Injury Concerns: Loveland has missed excessive time in college due to injury and his availability in the physically grueling NFL game will be monitored.

Outlook

Loveland projects as a high-upside NFL tight end with strong receiving value, ideally suited for play-action-heavy, multiple-personnel offenses that emphasize versatility and matchup creation. He fits best in systems that allow tight ends to move pre-snap, align in space, and attack intermediate zones, while still asking them to contribute in the run game. His background in Michigan’s pro-style offense will ease his transition to Ben Johnson’s NFL route concepts and blocking responsibilities in Chicago. If he continues to add functional strength and refine his blocking technique, he has the potential to develop into a three-down starter who impacts both phases of the offense. At minimum, his athleticism, hands, and football intelligence give him a high floor as a reliable TE1/TE2 with mismatch value similar to Evan Engram, and his trajectory suggests long-term success as a modern NFL tight end.