NFL exec predicts Bears TE Colston Loveland will be better than Lions' Sam LaPorta

The Chicago Bears' selection of Colston Loveland in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft earned some serious praise from NFL executives.

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Chicago Bears fans and NFL draft analysts are just about in lockstep agreement that GM Ryan Poles did a fantastic job adding high-impact talent to the roster during the 2025 NFL Draft.

Whether it's first-round pick Colston Loveland or second-round picks Luther Burden III, Ozzy Trapilo, and Shemar Turner, the Bears will get meaningful reps from their 2025 draft class in Year 1.

Even NFL executives agree that the Bears did well, as The Athletic's Mike Sando pointed out in a recent article featuring execs' unfiltered thoughts on the 2025 NFL Draft.

“Loveland is going to catch a million balls,” an executive told Sando. “He will be better than (Sam) LaPorta. He is such a good receiver, and he’s bigger — two inches taller and another 10 pounds. They will have an 11 personnel package with Burden in the slot and the 12 package when Burden is off the field with Loveland and Kmet on the field. They are set up pretty well.”

Loveland enjoyed a late surge up the first-round order despite trailing Penn State's Tyler Warren in the pre-draft tight end rankings for most of the season. However, when push came to shove, it was Loveland who was the most coveted player at his position.

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“I like what they have done, and I’ve been skeptical of the Bears in the past,” another executive said . “The tight end (Colston Loveland) is a really good player. The sleeper in the bunch is that (Ozzy) Trapilo kid in the second round. Eventually, I think he will be their right tackle.

“I have to hand it to (GM Ryan) Poles. They have upgraded in a lot of ways this offseason.”

The excitement around the Chicago Bears felt like it reached an all-time high last year after the selections of Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze, but somehow, someway, we've surpassed that in the 2025 offseason.

Perhaps it's a result of seeing enough flashes from Williams to know he is a stud. And now that he'll be mentored by Ben Johnson and play behind a competent offensive line, and has the class of 2025 weapons at his disposal, expectations are even higher now.

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