Bears' Colston Loveland Disrespected By NFL Peers in 25 and Under Rankings

Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland showed he's a budding superstar in the NFL during his first season, but his NFL peers must've missed the memo.

In an article by The Athletic's Mike Jones that ranks the top NFL players aged 25 and under, which is based on votes from league coaches, execs and scouts, not only did Loveland not make the top 25, he wasn't included in the honorable mentions section.

While Loveland missed the cut entirely, there were two Bears on the list, including quarterback Caleb Williams and right tackle Darnell Wright.

Williams landed at No. 21 and Wright came in at No. 23. We can no doubt debate those placements, but that's another story for another day.

For now, we're focused on the Loveland snub.

Colston Loveland deserves more respect

Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland. — Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland (84) celebrates after a catch during the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

At the very least, Loveland should have made the honorable mentions section after his fantastic rookie campaign.

Loveland finished his first year in the NFL with 58 receptions for 713 yards and six touchdowns, numbers that are made even more impressive by the fact that he didn't really get going until Week 9, likely because he missed time in his first offseason. Loveland also missed one game due to injury.

If you take his yards per game average from Week 9 on (59.7) and stretch it out over 17 games, Loveland would've finished with 1,014 receiving yards, the second-most among tight ends.

It's especially maddening to see Loveland not make the cut when someone like Tennessee Titans punt returner Chimere Dike was listed as an honorable mention. Dike is a nice player, but his job returning punts pales in comparison to Loveland's role as the Bears' top pass-catcher in 2025.

Thankfully, not everyone is sleeping on Loveland, who made the cut at No. 7 in ESPN's tight end rankings based on votes by NFL executives, coaches and scouts.

Colston Loveland's 2026 outlook

Loveland has looked phenomenal throughout the offseason and he looks primed to fully cement himself as an elite tight end in 2026.

But, as head coach Ben Johnson pointed out, the hype around his young tight end is a result of his work off the field, also.

Loveland has already proven himself to be a hard worker, which has only further helped him gain the trust of the coaching staff.

"I love what he brings to the table," head coach Ben Johnson said. "He's one of the most consistent players I've been around. And that's saying a lot for a young guy.

"I think it takes a while before guys can truly understand what it means to be a professional. But he’s in early, he's always in his playbook, he's always taking notes."

Part of the equation of Loveland taking that next step is having a good relationship and strong chemistry with Williams, and he needs to expand his route tree.

Johnson believes Loveland has both of those things going for him ahead of his second season.

"A lot of trust with the coaching staff and with the quarterbacks. I'm really happy with where he's at right now. We've been able to take the route tree to the next level and it's something we're going to continue to develop in training camp as well," Johnson added.

After leading the Bears in receiving in 2025, there is no reason to believe Loveland won't do it again in 2026. And, we also believe Loveland can cross the 1,000-yard mark in just his second campaign in the NFL.

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