Bear Digest

Michigan's 'Idaho Tough' tight end brings unique skill set to Bears

Bears GM Ryan Poles likes one , part of Colston Loveland's versatility because it helps on the field but also if he's working on a fence.
Gene Chamberlain|
Ryan Poles on drafting Colston Loveland.mp4
Ryan Poles on drafting Colston Loveland.mp4

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Chicago Bears

Bears GM Ryan Poles had plenty of reasons to like the skill set of Michigan tight end Colston Loveland enough to draft him 10th overall, one in particular that he developed growing up in Idaho.

Maybe the best reason was his tough, rugged hands.

It's a good quality to have if you're a tight end trying to catch rocket throws over the middle or if you’re working on a fence.

"It's not a joke like, 'Idaho Tough,' " Poles said. "I asked him about his hand strength because not only can you see it when he catches the ball but he blocks. And he was like, 'Have you ever put up a wire fence in Idaho before,' I said, 'No.'

"But that explains it. He's been doing some labor and that kind of makes him who he is. When you watch the tape, you can see that."

"It's not a joke like, 'Idaho Tough.' "
Bears GM Ryan Poles on Colston Loveland

Loveland's skill set includes blocking, catching and driving in fence posts.

He needed to have more than tough hands last year, as Poles said the lack of a steady quarterback took a toll on anyone chasing passes at Michigan after they had J.J. McCarthy the previous yar.

"We spent a lot of time understanding the difficulties certain guys go through year-to-year as talent around them leaves," Poles said. "With him we did feel like there was a level of consistency and that was a cool touch point for us too.

"I asked him, ‘How did you handle that, handle a younger quarterback or someone you didn’t have the greatest chemistry, or the same chemistry you had the year before.’ How he responded to that was really mature and showed good awareness, showed selflessness, it showed him being a team guy more than just him and his stats."

The real question Poles had to answer about Loveland was why him instead of Penn State's Tyler Warren, who seemed to be the tight end the majority of draft analysts liked, although both tight ends were highly regarded.

"Both are really good players," Poles said. "There are a lot of conversations there, back and forth.

"Tyler (Warren) is going to be a great football player, as well. In terms of fits what we want to do a little bit better, with the personnel group that we have here on our roster, we thought that the combination of what we have is the better fit."

And besides, he's Idaho Tough.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.