Draft Grades: Chicago fans torn over selection of Colston Loveland at 10th pick

Michigan Wolverine tight end Colston Loveland is officially a Chicago Bear after being selected 10th overall in the first round. While most analysts saw Loveland as the top tight end in the draft, there was some discussion about that concerning he and Penn State tight end Tyler Warren.

Warren ended up in Indianapolis, becoming a Colt with the 14th overall pick. While both prospects are quite similar, I believe that Loveland fits the offensive scheme that new head coach Ben Johnson will employ in Chicago. Johnson came from the Detroit Lions where he used TE Sam Laporta heavily in the offensive scheme. Loveland has the same talent set, if not higher, and will thrive within the offensive play calling in Chicago with Caleb Williams.

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Here are some of the draft grades from experts concerning the Loveland selection.

CBS Sports- A

CBS Sports' Pete Prisco: "I love this pick for the Bears. He was my top tight end. He was the best pass catcher of the tight ends. He will fit perfectly into the Ben Johnson offense."

Sports Illustrated- B

Sports Illustrated's Gilberto Manzano: "Surprisingly, Loveland was the first tight end drafted Thursday night. But there’s no denying he made his presence felt as a pass catcher during his three seasons with Michigan, including being the leading receiver for the national championship team in 2023. The versatile playmaker recorded a combined 101 catches for 1,332 yards and nine touchdowns in his final two collegiate seasons. He needs to improve as an inline tight end, but he’s a sure bet for being a productive pass catcher at the next level for Bears quarterback Caleb Williams."

Bleacher Report- A

Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski: "The second-team All-American should be an integral part of new Bears head coach Ben Johnson’s offense. He comes from a traditional pro-style offense, which allows him to be a big part in 12 personnel alongside Cole Kmet. When Johnson was the Detroit Lions' offensive coordinator, Sam LaPorta became a major pass-catching weapon. Loveland could follow in his footsteps.

Loveland was the B/R Scouting Department's TE1 throughout the season, not Penn State's Tyler Warren. The reasoning was simple: Loveland has the same upside as a playmaker, but he's a more well-rounded tight end, particularly when used as a Y-option. Loveland did deal with injuries throughout the 2024 campaign that slowed him and cost him three games. He then had corrective shoulder surgery this offseason, which prevented him from working out prior to the draft. Even so, he remained a top tight end prospect and should add versatility to the Bears' offense."

Bears Wire- B+

Bears Wire's Brendan Sugrue: "Loveland is an incredibly smooth route runner for someone at his size and position. He's the polar opposite of where Cole Kmet was coming out of college five years ago, granted they are two different types of tight ends. Loveland has strong hands and doesn't rely on his body to come down with catches. He was able to line up inside and outside, going toe-to-toe with cornerbacks and beating them off the line of scrimmage. It's rare for college tight ends to have that type of skill set this early in their careers. Johnson's experience with tight ends also bodes well for Loveland.

The new Bears head coach was the tight ends position coach starting out in the league and had a big hand in selecting Sam LaPorta two years ago with the Lions. Some analysts even have LaPorta as Loveland's comp at the NFL level, which makes sense for Johnson."

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