Colston Loveland (born April 9, 2004) is an American professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

tight end The tight end (TE) is an offense (sports), offensive position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football. It is a hybrid that combines the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a receiver (football), receiv ...

for the

Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...

of the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

(NFL). He played

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for the

Michigan Wolverines The Michigan Wolverines comprise 29 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan. These teams compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA's NCAA Division I, Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except wo ...

, winning a

national championship A national championship(s) is the top achievement for any sport or competition, contest within a league of a particular nation or nation state. The title is usually awarded by contests, ranking systems, stature, ability, etc. This determines the be ...

in 2023 and earning

All-American The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...

honors in 2024. Loveland was selected by the Bears with the tenth overall pick in the first round of the

2025 NFL draft The 2025 NFL draft was the 90th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible players. The draft was held at Lambeau Field and its adjacent Titletown District in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on April 24–26, 2025 ...

Early life

Loveland was born on April 9, 2004, the son of Chad Loveland and Rachel Faulkner, and grew up on a farm in

Bliss, Idaho Bliss is a city in Gooding County, Idaho, United States. The population was 318 at the 2010 census. It has frequently been noted on lists of unusual place names. It has been documented in a photography book published in 2022 as a "disappear ...

. He attended

Gooding High School Gooding High School is a public high school located in Gooding, Idaho, United States. It is the main high school operated by the Gooding School District. Athletics Gooding High School is classified as a 3A school (enrollment between 320 and 63 ...

Gooding, Idaho Gooding is the county seat of and the largest city in Gooding County, Idaho, United States. The population was 3,716 at the 2020 census. The city is named for Frank R. Gooding, a local sheep rancher who became a prominent political figure i ...

, where he starred in basketball and football. He caught 235 passes (91 as a sophomore) for 3,141 yards and 35 touchdowns at Gooding. As a senior, he played tight end and linebacker, catching 62 passes for 968 yards and 14 touchdowns, leading the Gooding Senators (9–1) to the Class 3A semifinals. Loveland rushed for 352 yards and four touchdowns on 33 carries, and also recorded 57 tackles, 18 tackles for a loss, 5.5 sacks and two interceptions on defense. Loveland was rated as a four star recruit, a top 250 ranked player in the country and the No. 1 player in Idaho, winning the 2021 Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year award. He received offers from Michigan, Alabama, LSU, Auburn, Utah, Oregon State, Arizona State, Nevada, Idaho, Idaho State, and Utah State.

College career

Freshman season (2022)

In July 2021, Loveland committed to play college football at the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

. He graduated and enrolled early in January 2022. He appeared in his first game for Michigan versus Colorado State on September 3, 2022, and had two receptions for 18 yards. In the 2022 season, Loveland had 16 receptions for 235 yards and two touchdowns. Against Ohio State, he caught a 45-yard pass thrown by

J. J. McCarthy Jonathan James McCarthy (born January 20, 2003) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected tenth overall by the Vikings in the 2024 NFL dra ...

at the beginning of the third quarter for his first collegiate touchdown. He caught a touchdown the following week in the Big Ten Championship Game, helping Michigan win its second consecutive conference championship.

Sophomore season (2023)

In the 2023 season, Loveland played and started all 15 games as a sophomore for Michigan. He finished the season with 45 catches, 649 receiving yards, and four receiving touchdowns. He was named a first-team All-Big Ten selection by the coaches and a second-team by the media. He helped Michigan finish the season 15–0, including winning the Big Ten Championship, Rose Bowl, and the

. Loveland was the leading receiver for the Wolverines in the national championship game, with three catches for 64 yards. Loveland became the first Idahoan to be a part of a national championship squad since Jorrell Bostrom for Auburn in

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Junior season (2024)

Entering his junior season, Loveland was ranked as the best tight end in college football by members of the media. He was considered to be a first round pick in the

. In his first game of the season versus

Fresno State California State University, Fresno (Fresno State) is a public university in Fresno, California, United States. It is part of the California State University system. The university had a fall 2020 enrollment of 25,341 students. It offers 60 ba ...

, Loveland had eight receptions for 87 yards and a touchdown. In the week two loss against

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

, he was again Michigan’s leading receiver, finishing with eight receptions for 70 yards, though he had a costly fumble recovered by the Longhorns. In week six versus

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, Loveland had six receptions for 33 yards and a touchdown. In week nine versus

Michigan State Michigan State University (Michigan State or MSU) is a public land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the ...

, Loveland had six receptions for 67 yards, two touchdowns and a two-point conversion, as Michigan defeated the Spartans 24–17. It was his second consecutive two-touchdown game against Michigan State, matching his 2023 performance. In week ten versus

Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...

, he had his first career game with over 100 receiving yards, as he caught seven passes for 112 yards. In week thirteen versus Northwestern, Loveland had three receptions for 22 yards and a touchdown. With his three receptions, he passed

Bennie Joppru Benjamin Paul Joppru (born January 5, 1980) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines, earning All-American honors. Joppr ...

(53 receptions in 2002) for the most receptions by a tight end in a season in Michigan football history, finishing with 56. On November 26, Loveland was named one of three finalist for the 2024

John Mackey Award The John Mackey Award is presented annually to college football's most outstanding tight end. Established in 2000 by the Nassau County Sports Commission, the award is given annually to the tight end who best exemplifies the play, sportsmanship, ac ...

, given to the best tight end in college football, joining Harold Fannin Jr. of

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and the winner Tyler Warren of

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. He was the second-ever Wolverine to be a finalist for the award, joining 2016 winner

Jake Butt Jonathan Duane "Jake" Butt (born July 11, 1995) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Michigan. He was ...

. Loveland missed the last game of the season against

Ohio State The Ohio State University (Ohio State or OSU) is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio, United States. A member of the University System of Ohio, it was founded in 1870. It is one of the largest universities by enrollme ...

with an injury. He finished the season playing in ten games, totaling 56 receptions, 582 yards and five touchdowns. Loveland was named a second-team All-Big Ten selection, behind Tyler Warren. He also earned a second-team All-American selection by the

Football Writers Association of America The Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) is an organization of college football media members in the United States founded in 1941. It is composed of approximately 1,200 professional sports writers from both print and Internet media out ...

(FWAA). On December 13, 2024, Loveland declared for the 2025 NFL draft, foregoing the

ReliaQuest Bowl The ReliaQuest Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Tampa, Florida. The event was known as the Hall of Fame Bowl from 1986 to 1995 and the Outback Bowl from 1996 to 2022. It was held at Tampa Stadium from 1986 until 1999, when it ...

and his senior year. He finished his career at the University of Michigan with a 35–6 team record, two Big Ten championships, one national championship, All-American honors, All-Big Ten honors twice, and as the school’s single-season record holder for receptions by a tight end. In his three years, he also finished tied for second in career touchdowns, third in career receptions and third in career receiving yards all-time among Michigan tight ends.

Statistics

Professional career

Loveland was selected with the tenth overall pick by the

in the first round of the

. He was the first tight end taken in the draft, and the third overall receiver.

References

External links

Chicago Bears profile

Michigan Wolverines bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Loveland, Colston 2004 births Living people American football tight ends Michigan Wolverines football players People from Goldendale, Washington People from Gooding, Idaho Players of American football from Idaho Chicago Bears players