2025 NFL Draft prospect profile – Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan

Can Loveland realize his potential in the NFL?

The tight end class in the 2025 NFL Draft is a strong and deep one. This is the second year in a row in which we’ve seen a lot of athletic and talented tight ends coming into the NFL.

Michigan’s Colston Loveland would likely be the first tight end off the board in almost any other year, yet in this year he might wind up being the third. Loveland has a prototypical build, is — as you may expect from a Michigan tight end — a good blocker, and has a lot of upside as a receiver.

The New York Giants are likely set at tight end between Theo Johnson and Daniel Bellinger. They also probably can’t invest the pick needed to draft Loveland in the tight end position. It is, however, entirely possible that he could wind up on the roster of a rival so we should be familiar with Loveland and what he brings to the field.

Prospect: Colston Loveland (18)
Games Watched: vs. Texas (2024), vs. USC (2024), vs. Illinois (2024), vs. Oregon (2024)
Red Flags: Shoulder (2024)

Measurables

Kent Lee Platte | RAS.football

Strengths

Best traits

• Athleticism
• Size
• Blocking
• Competitive toughness
• Route running

Colston Loveland is a big, athletic tight end who combines receiving upside with impressive blocking skills.

Loveland is a fierce run blocker and pass protector, who gets after defenders almost as though he’s trying to start (or finish) a fight. He strains to sustain his blocks, and does so with better technique than many offensive linemen. He consistently places his hands to win inside leverage, striking hard and with good pad level, and uncoils his hips to create movement at the line of scrimmage. Loveland is able to stalemate smaller edge defenders, “lose slow” against true defensive linemen, and is an absolute menace at the second level.

He was frequently used as a move blocker, but can be an in-line blocker on the play side or back side of a run. His athleticism also makes him a capable blocker on screens and working to the second level.

Loveland is also a capable, even dangerous, receiver. He moves almost like a wide receiver, wasting no energy in his release and showing very crisp breaks. He runs a relatively diverse route tree and understands how to use his frame to be open even when covered.

He has solid ball skills as well, doing a good job of locating and tracking the ball in the air, extending to maximize his catch radius, and plucking the ball out of the air as opposed to letting it into his frame. His power and movement skills also allow him to pick up yards after the catch, and he’s willing to fight through contact to get every inch.

Weaknesses

Worst traits

• Catch consistency
• Ball security

Loveland is a very well rounded tight end who should be able to step in and contribute immediately.

That said, there’s also still room for improvement in his game. Most notably, he needs to get more consistent at the catch point and just after the catch. Loveland has solid ball skills overall, but there are instances in which he lets the ball slip through his fingers. He can also be prone to having it jarred loose just after the catch, suggesting that he might need to get better at securing the ball quickly.

Loveland can also stand to improve the nuance with which he runs routes. Learning to add quick fakes or changes in his route tempo could help improve his separation at the top of routes. That, in turn, might help improve his catch consistency if defenders aren’t right there to make a hit at the catch point.

Finally, teams will want to closely monitor the medical reports with respect to his shoulder. He missed time with the injury during the season, played through the pain for much of the remainder of the year, and has assured teams that he’ll be ready for training camp. However, they should still do their due diligence.

Game Tape

Projection

Colston Loveland projects as a starting tight end at the NFL level.

There are a few wrinkles to be ironed out in his game, largely relating to his consistency. However, he has the potential to be a starter very early – if not immediately – in his career, and have Pro Bowl upside at that.

Loveland is an impressive athlete with very good quickness, agility, speed, power, and a balance. He has the skill set to be a true “Y” tight end who can be a blocker or receiver as the only tight end in an 11-personnel package. There’s a good chance he hears his name called before the first round is over.

Does he fit the Giants?
Yes, but not from a value perspective.

Final Word: A later first round talent