2025 NFL Draft: Why the Chicago Bears tabbed Colston Loveland - not Tyler Warren - to complete their TE room

LAKE FOREST, Ill. - It didn't take long for Colston Loveland to earn high praise from Ben Johnson.

The first-year Chicago Bears' head coach has had great success with tight ends. Look no further than Sam LaPorta, the All-Pro tight end as a rookie in Detroit.

Loveland, a Michigan Wolverine, was in proximity to LaPorta. When citing influences in a meeting with the Bears, he cited Johnson's protégé in Detroit. 

"I mentioned a couple and I put LaPorta's name in there," Loveland said. 
"Coach Johnson, he's like, ‘yeah, you remind me a lot of him.’"

Fast-forward to April 24.

Johnson's fingerprints on the Bears' draft plans were never more apparent than when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced Loveland as the No. 10 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Now, Loveland completes the Bears' tight end room and gives Johnson two players he can use in his beloved 12-personnel sets.

"Man, there's no place I'd rather be," Loveland said. "I'm excited."

The Bears' process led them to the Michigan tight end. Not Penn State tight end Tyler Warren. Not any of the available pass rushers, either.

On March 21, the Bears' flirtations with Loveland became a true relationship at Michigan's Pro Day.

"It wasn't 'til about Pro Day," Loveland said. "I met with them on my Pro Day in Michigan, and after meeting I felt like it went really good."

From there, it came down to the Bears finalizing their pre-draft process. The Bears, Poles and Johnson still had to go through every player.

They invited Shemar Stewart, Omarion Hampton, Will Campbell, Ashton Jeanty and more to Halas Hall on top-30 visits.

"We staked a bunch of players, he had opinions, obviously he had a high opinion of Colston as well." Bears Senior Director of Personnel Jeff King said. "We felt good about a couple of guys – because you have to there, but Colston ended up being the best pick."

Still, it came down to picking a tight end.

If they were going to select a tight end, it was going to come down to the two Big Ten players: Loveland or Warren?

"Tyler is going to be a great player," King said. "For us, we just felt that the alignment from coaching, scouting, everybody that touched both players that (Loveland) was the best fit for us."

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The tale of the tape is simple.

Loveland was the first-team All-Big Ten tight end in 2023. That was when Michigan won the national championship under Jim Harbaugh.

In 2024, Warren took that accolade from Loveland, who was the second-team All-Big Ten. Loveland was suffering from an AC joint injury that he ended up having surgery on.

Warren had some flashy moments. He had a 200-yard receiving game against USC and topped 1,000 receiving yards on the season while Loveland missed three games with his shoulder injury.

The Bears looked past the injury. Their scouting of Loveland went into the 2023 season, where the tight ends really shined.

In terms of what the Bears needed, it was a tight end that could catch the ball well but also mesh in the tight end room with Cole Kmet.

"We aren't comparing players but both of those guys are going to have really good careers, but Colston was the best fit for us," King said.

Johnson ran the third-most 12-personnel sets last season in Detroit. He didn't just want another stellar tight end, he needed it.

While Johnson's offense will be built from the ground up with Caleb Williams in mind, Johnson still needed the rock on which to build his church. That rock, now more so than ever, will be the 12 personnel with Loveland and Kmet.

"Finally being able to talk with him and kind of pick his brain, No. 1 fan of that guy for sure," Loveland said. "He's legit, he's a stud and I can't wait to be under that. I know he's going to put us in great positions, put Chicago in great positions to win games."