Tag: Colston Loveland

Michigan football TE Colston Loveland makes NFL draft decision

As expected. #GoBlue

It was a good year but also a tough one for junior Michigan football tight end Colston Loveland.

Thought to be the best tight end in the country entering the 2024 season, with the Wolverines having an anemic passing game coming into the year, Loveland wasn’t just an option, he was the option. Mix that with Loveland having some injury issues both early and late in the year, that meant that he didn’t quite reach his full potential showing that he may have otherwise.

Loveland was absent in two of Michigan’s biggest games of the season, missing the entirety of both the USC game in Week 4 and the Ohio State game in Week 14. It turns out his final play — a touchdown just before halftime in the Week 13 game against Northwestern — was his final snap in a Michigan uniform, as Loveland declared for the NFL draft on Friday.

Loveland led Michigan with 56 pass receptions for 582 yards and five touchdowns — more than double any other receiver in every category.

With Loveland gone, the Wolverines will likely turn to freshman Hogan Hansen, who showed some similar attributes as Loveland had in his first year with the program.

Loveland joins defensive tackle Mason Graham and cornerback Will Johnson in having departed for the NFL draft following their junior season. He will likely be a first-round NFL draft pick in 2025.

Broncos select tight end in 2025 NFL mock draft

The Broncos land tight end Colston Loveland in this 2025 NFL mock draft.

Although the NFL season is in its stretch run, it’s never the wrong time to talk about the NFL draft. 

In the Denver Broncos‘ case, their play slates them to have their first pick in the latter part of the first round. Following the rise of Bo Nix, they need to add complementary pieces to the offense. 

In his recent 2025 NFL mock draft, Cory Kinnan of Daft on Draft has the Broncos selecting Michigan tight end Colston Loveland. Through ten games this season, he has caught 56 passes for 582 yards and five touchdowns. He’s also a finalist for the John Mackey Award, which goes to the best tight end in college football.

Here is Kinnan’s commentary on the pick:

The Denver Broncos are the surprise of 2024. Bo Nix is playing better every week, and they keep winning games. Their set of pass catchers, however, can be improved. Sean Payton, the man who utilized the big and athletic Jimmy Graham in New Orleans, lands the big and athletic Colston Loveland.

While Loveland seems ideal, the real work and evaluation begins after the season ends in February.

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How banged up are the Wolverines? Injury updates for Michigan football stars before The Game

#Michigan needs some really good news Saturday morning.

This time last week, the hope was that Michigan football would be coming into the Ohio State game close to full strength — minus safety Rod Moore, of course — with some optimism that star cornerback Will Johnson could return.

However, not only does it appear unlikely that Johnson will be available in Columbus, but another star is starting to look unlikely to play against the Buckeyes. Colston Loveland scored a big touchdown before halftime against Northwestern, but didn’t return to the game. It appeared as if he was being held out on precautionary measures, but it turns out his injury — though not overall serious — might be serious enough to keep him out vs. Ohio State.

“Yeah, we’ll see,” head coach Sherrone Moore said on Monday. “I think Colston’s trending in a good direction. We’ll get a better feel in the next couple days and we’ll see — same thing with Will.”

Considering how good OSU is this year (as it tends to be every year) and how much Michigan has had to scrape and claw for everything it’s gotten this year, the Wolverines need all hands on deck. Here is the latest.

Will Johnson injury update

Photo: Isaiah Hole

Johnson was initially injured in the second half of the USC game in Week 4, but he returned to the lineup after missing one game against Minnesota. However, he appeared to have suffered a case of turf toe in the first half of Week 8 at Illinois and has not returned to the lineup since.

On Friday morning, 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported that Johnson is unlikely to play for the Wolverines in Columbus.

Michigan cornerback depth chart

With Johnson likely out, Michigan will rely on the personnel it’s been running out there most of the year. Jyaire Hill and Aamir Hall will likely start on the boundary while Zeke Berry — who has started a few games outside — could return to nickel. Or, like we saw last week, it could be Hall and Berry with Makari Paige at nickel while Hill rotates in.

Colston Loveland injury update

Photo: Isaiah Hole

Loveland was expected by many to be a go until ESPN’s Pete Thamel revealed that there is pessimism that he’ll be cleared by the time kickoff happens. Considering Loveland is Michigan’s leading receiving threat, it would be a huge blow to the Wolverines. However, Michigan did beat a then-ranked USC team in Week 4 without Loveland, as he’s long been dealing with a shoulder injury he sustained in Week 3 against Arkansas State.

Michigan tight end depth chart

Without Loveland, Michigan would rely heavily on Marlin Klein and Hogan Hansen to fill his role as a pass catcher and bring in Zack Marshall as a blocker.

Another Michigan football star potentially out for Ohio State game

Welp. #GoBlue

Early on Friday, ESPN’s Pete Thamel revealed that Michigan football cornerback Will Johnson — who hasn’t suited up for the Wolverines since mid-October — isn’t likely to play at Ohio State on Saturday. Though there had been optimism that fellow junior, tight end Colston Loveland would be able to play, those happy thoughts are starting to wane.

Thamel reported on Thursday evening that there is growing pessimism that Loveland will be able to go on Saturday after leaving the Northwesten game at halftime. If true, it’s a big blow to the Michigan offense and perhaps the last that the Wolverines will have seen of the phenom tight end often thought to be the best in the country.

 


If Loveland isn’t able to go, Michigan football will be without its top offensive weapon. Marlin Klein and Hogan Hansen would likely go in his place, rotating with senior captain Max Bredeson.

Loveland actually got his first career touchdown in Columbus when Michigan upset Ohio State, 45-23, in 2022.

Colston Loveland ‘trending in a good direction’ to play vs. Ohio State

Fingers crossed! #GoBlue

Michigan football has played multiple games either without star junior tight end Colston Loveland or with him limited. So, with Ohio State up next, the Wolverines are hoping that Loveland will be a full go.

Those hopes were somewhat dashed when Loveland left the Northwestern game in Week 13 after scoring a touchdown just before halftime.

According to head coach Sherrone Moore on the Inside Michigan Football radio show, things are looking up for Loveland to return to the lineup in Week 14 in Columbus.

“He’s trending in a good direction to be available,” Moore said. “So we’ll just continue to work and see what happens.”

Loveland set the single-season record for catches by a tight end in a Michigan football uniform on Saturday with 56 catches. Though he hopes to see him build on that total, Moore shared more about what makes Loveland such a special player beyond just his impact on the field.

“It’s been huge,” Moore said. “Ironically, his first touchdown was in The Shoe in 2022 as a true freshman. He’s just been extremely impactful in every way on the field. Obviously, off the field as a leader. Even as a junior, he’s a leader that everyone looks to. Just does everything the right way, works his tail off. And he’s going to be a phenomenal pro.”

Of course, hopes aren’t as high on junior cornerback Will Johnson, who last saw action in Week 8 at Illinois. The prognosis from Moore has remained, basically, the echoes of a broken record, as he says, ‘we’ll see.’

“Yeah, we’ll see about that one. Just continue to work through and see what doctors say.”

Breaking down the race for TE1 in the 2025 NFL Draft

Breaking down the race for TE1 in the 2025 NFL Draft between Colston Loveland, Tyler Warren and Harold Fannin Jr.

Who will be the first tight end selected in the 2025 NFL Draft?

It’s a tough question to answer as the end of the college football regular season approaches. There are three worthy aspirants to being the first tight end selected. At least it appears that way at this point — before athletic testing and all-star games.

The trio includes diversely skilled options: Colston Loveland from Michigan, Bowling Green’s Harold Fannin Jr. and Tyler Warren from Penn State. Each has played very well as his team’s primary offensive weapon, and they do it in divergent ways.

Loveland is probably the most well-rounded of the threesome. At 6-foot-5 and 245 listed pounds, Loveland has optimal size to play any role asked of a tight end. He’s shown impressive route running skills and an uncanny ability to catch off-target throws, of which he’s gotten a lot of unfortunate experience with Michigan in 2024. Loveland reliably gets open despite being the focal point of the passing offense, and he’s played all over the formation, including boundary wideout–and won battles there, too.

If a team values in-line blocking and run-blocking range highly, they’ll probably prefer Loveland over his peers. The improvement in his balance and leg drive give the Wolverine a slight boost here, though no one will ever mistake Loveland for a blocking tight end. Think Sam LaPorta or early David Njoku, and the latter has become an outstanding blocker over time. Loveland has that sort of developmental potential as a blocker, too.

Fannin doesn’t have the size of his fellow TEs here. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 230, he’s more of an Evan Engram or Trey McBride size/style of tight end. You’re forgiven if you watch BGSU and think that Fannin is a wide receiver; he runs routes and transitions from catcher to runner very much more like a wideout than a tight end. Fluidity, body control and focused strength are all hybrid-like skills for Fannin, who also has outstanding hands.

To call Fannin the focal point of the Bowling Green offense is an understatement. He has 83 catches for 1,170 yards and 8 TDs through November 21st; next on the team in all three categories is WR Malcolm Johnson, who has 36 catches for 393 yards and two TDs. Fannin is often bracketed but still finds ways to get into open windows.

For the Falcons, Fannin has also proven to be a strong point-of-contact run blocker and lead blocker on outside runs. Finding targets in space isn’t his specialty, but the effort is there. The bigger knock on Fannin is the level of competition in the MAC. However, he lit up both Penn State and Texas A&M this fall–again, despite being the obvious focal point on every snap.

Then there’s Warren, who takes positional versatility to a new level. The fact Warren is so great at so many different skills and alignments is truly impressive. What makes it even greater is that Warren does it at his size, all 6-foot-6 and 261 listed pounds.

Warren is a converted quarterback, and his ability to read defenses and angles from the eyes of his QB shows. He’s uncannily open against zones, but he also presents himself as a big target on comeback routes and drags against man coverage. Warren’s sense of leverage against the defense is outstanding. It shows in his opportunities as a runner, where he averages almost 10 yards per carry (157 yards on 16 carries) and has a distinct nose for the end zone and reading blocks.

After the catch, Warren is a long-legged load to bring down. He accelerates quite well for a tall guy, and he shrugs off or shoos away arm tackles or dives below the knees. He’s capable in the slot, as an H-Back, even as a wildcat QB. Warren does block like you’d expect from a guy who played QB through his formative football years, and his length does limit his quickness off the line and in breaks in route-running. Still, the progress Warren has shown from the end of 2022 to now is incredible.

Loveland, Fannin and Warren are all very strong prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft. There currently isn’t a wrong answer for an NFL team looking to add a premier weapon at tight end. The early guess here is that Warren winds up being the first TE taken.

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Colston Loveland still confident that Michigan football offense can take off

Let’s hope so. #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan football never had a high-flying offense in the Jim Harbaugh era, and with Sherrone Moore taking over this year, the expectation wasn’t that it would suddenly, but that it would be a continuation of what came before him.

However, that’s not what’s happened. In fact, it’s gone in reverse.

The Wolverines won a national championship in 2023 with the 69th-ranked total offense out of 134 teams — exactly middling while relying on a national best defense. But in 2024, Michigan’s offensive attack ranks 130th out of the 134 teams in college football.

It hasn’t looked good on Main Street but star tight end Colston Loveland still has faith that what they see on State Street can come to fruition sometime in the next two games.

“Obviously, a lot of stuff hasn’t gone the way we wanted to,” Loveland said. “Just need two more guaranteed games to go out there and just put it on tape. I feel like we can as an offense, we got the ability to kind of — I sound like a broken record, but we got the potential. And potential doesn’t mean anything if you can’t go do it.

“But just really focused on going out there, putting really good tape on on film as an offense, working together. Rush game, run game, hitting, pass game hitting. Kind of just need that. Need everything to click. So this bye will be good. Get another week of preparation on Northwestern, go attack it.”

While seeing is believing and Loveland has seen what the offense can be behind the scenes, faith without works is dead.

Still, given the trust that the players have in each other and the work they put in, they’re confident that at some point in the next two games — hosting Northwestern or at Ohio State — these Wolverines will get the offensive payoff they’ve been waiting for and working toward.

“Trusting the process, really,” Loveland said. “We’re so close in here in the building, so I know, and all the guys know, we could really be something. We work our tail off. We’re in here watching film all the time, studying the game plan. So we’re putting in the time. It’s just kind of waiting on it. And I feel like that’s kind of the beauty of it too. Obviously, you want everything to hit right away. But like, once it does click, and once we do get going, it’s gonna be weight off the shoulders, for sure. But man, because we knew we could do this, but like I said, just got to go out there and do it first.”

Colston Loveland scoffs at idea he could shut down his season to prepare for the NFL

A true #Michigan man. #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — In the past decade, it’s become much more commonplace that star players who are expected to be high-end NFL draft picks will shut down their season to avoid injury and start the preparation process for the professional ranks.

What once used to be limited to meaningless bowl games has seen players opt out of even College Football Playoff appearances and it’s increasingly inching into the regular season.

With Michigan football struggling in 2024, sitting at 5-5, why wouldn’t players like Colston Loveland, Will Johnson, Mason Graham, and Kenneth Grant risk injury? They could just as easily protect themselves and ensure that the millions they stand to make from being likely first-round draft picks will end up in their bank accounts. But that’s not how Loveland sees it.

As long as he physically can do so this year, he’s going to strap on the winged helmet and give it a go.

“I mean, we’re gonna play, as long as we’re healthy and feel good, we’re gonna play,” Loveland said. “Michigan’s done so much for us — all of our boys, our brothers, our family, our coaches, they’re all still coaching and playing. So why wouldn’t we play? We got goals to reach as a team and individually as well. So as long as I’m healthy, yeah, I’m playing.”

Of course, there are cautionary tales, and one coming from a legendary former Michigan tight end who sustained an ACL injury in a bowl game.

It was the 2016 Capital One Orange Bowl, and after telling the world he would play in his final possible appearance in a Michigan uniform, tight end Jake Butt sustained a knee injury that knocked him from the first round of the 2017 NFL draft all the way to the fifth.

Regardless, Loveland is going to chance it, and it appears as if that’s the mindset of his fellow junior class who will all likely depart for the NFL following the season.

“I could see both sides, maybe if you had an injury or something,” Loveland said. “But I feel like, for me and a lot of the guys here, if you’re healthy and you can go out there and play — we love the game of football. We’ve been blessed by God to be able to play this game. (Our) families just sacrifice so much. So why wouldn’t we play? It’s kind of where my head’s at.”

Of the aforementioned players, only Will Johnson hasn’t appeared in recent games. Dealing with an undisclosed lower-body injury, Johnson left in the first half of the Illinois game in Week 8 and hasn’t been seen since. However, head coach Sherrone Moore has stated that Johnson is attempting to get back and will likely play in another game this season.

Loveland did note that his mentality to play did not necessarily mean he’d suit up for a bowl game, should Michigan make one.

Bengals gamble, get Joe Burrow help in 2025 NFL mock draft

The Bengals ignore the defense and get Joe Burrow another weapon.

The Cincinnati Bengals remain in the playoff hunt despite the miserable record and falling short of expectations.

But that doesn’t mean fans can’t glance at 2025 NFL mock drafts yet.

In that realm of NFL coverage, they will find plenty of mocks that get the defense some help, whether it’s along the struggling line or in the secondary.

But a select few go ahead and give Joe Burrow another weapon, too.

Take, for instance, a new mock from The Draft Network’s Keith Sanchez, who has the Bengals grabbing Michigan tight end Colston Loveland:

Since Joe Burrow became the quarterback of the Bengals, the tight end position has been a revolving door. This year, the Bengals take a swing at finding a player who could be their long-term solution at tight end in Michigan’s Colston Loveland. Loveland has high-level athletic traits that make him a mismatch for both linebackers and safeties. As the Bengals figure out which superstar receivers they’re going to pay, they draft a high-end tight end to help solidify the offense and clear up the picture.

Quietly, tight end is a bigger need than it gets credit for right now in Cincinnati now that rookie Erick All Jr. has suffered another injury. Veteran Mike Gesicki is on a one-year deal, too.

A 6’5″ weapon like Loveland would certainly help the offense and life after Tee Higgins could prove to be rough, should it happen. But this type of pick would prevent the defense from getting some much-needed help, too.

If nothing else, though, it’s one scenario to keep an eye on from here.

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Oregon vs. Michigan in-person scouting summary

2025 NFL Draft prospects from Oregon vs. Michigan in-person scouting summary

Oregon traveled to Michigan to face the Wolverines as a member of the Big Ten for the first time. The top-ranked Ducks proved worthy of the lofty ranking, sending the partisan crowd to the exits early in a 38-17 road win.

I was among those in the stands at the Big House, though I stayed until the end of this one. Unlike most games where I’m holed up in the press box, I watched this one from the fan section, behind the Oregon sideline on a sunny late afternoon that quickly faded into a chilly final evening of Daylight Saving Time.

Here’s what I took away from some of the 2025 NFL Draft prospects in the game.

Derrick Harmon

Harmon stood out from the very first Oregon defensive snap. The Ducks DT artfully dodged a (poorly executed) block and crashed into the backfield for an emphatic TFL. It was the first of several impressively disruptive plays the Michigan State transfer made on the day.

Harmon’s ability to strafe laterally and stay disengaged from blocking was devastating to the Michigan run offense. Harmon has quick eyes and quicker feet for his size, but he also flashed some real power and finishing acumen. His ability to find consistent success while lining up on either shoulder of the guards showed some positional versatility along the defensive interior that sure looks like it will translate to the next level quite well.

It was also impressive to watch him on the sidelines. Even though he’s new to the program, Harmon was quite enthusiastic in exhorting his Ducks teammates to not let up once the game started to get out of hand in their favor in the second half.

Mason Graham

Graham had a quiet day as a pass rusher, but at least some of that is attributable to how quickly Oregon throws the ball. The interior defensive line doesn’t have enough time to really impact all the quick swings and screens, and that was true of Graham in this game. He did, however, show some very nice stack-and-steer work at DT on inside runs.

The ability to get off a block with his powerful shoulders and then contribute to the tackle proved why he’s a legit NFL talent, though this was the second Michigan game I’ve been to this year (USC the other) where I was underwhelmed with his initial burst; he can do power or quick, but they don’t marry as well as other recent top DT prospects–or like Harmon on the Oregon side of the ball showed in this game.

Evan Stewart

Stewart’s best play of the game didn’t even count. The Oregon wideout made a spectacular one-handed stab in the end zone at full vertical extension and managed to contort himself so that he landed with one foot down for a would-be touchdown. Alas, it was wiped out by a penalty on Oregon. It was every bit as awesome as the Odell Beckham Jr. snag a few years back.

Even though that one didn’t count, seeing how dynamic Stewart was able to slice and dice the Michigan secondary over the middle and up the seams was impressive. He’s got a very good pacing to his route-running, and Stewart proved he’s got great hands, too. The Texas A&M transfer got a few looks in the slot, and that’s where I think his NFL future lies–even though he’s got the field-stretching speed on the outside. He played with more physicality than I expected for a 175-pound receiver, though it wasn’t always effective physicality.

Colston Loveland

Loveland was the best Michigan player on the field and basically the only effective offensive player for nearly the entire game. The polish on his receiving traits–routes, releases, hands, strength in traffic, transition from receiver to runner–was fantastic in this one. Oregon’s defense knew he was getting the ball and they still couldn’t stop him.

This game reaffirmed that Loveland is not an NFL-caliber inline blocker and it will take considerable work to get him to be even a passable blocking presence. But for teams looking for a multi-level receiving threat at tight end, Loveland proved in this one he’s best-in-class. The 6-foot-5, 245-pounder even showed ability aligning as the wide receiver in this one. Very impressive game from Loveland.

Dillon Gabriel

The well-traveled Ducks quarterback stood out for three primary things:

  • He’s visibly smaller in person; both the 6-0 and especially the 200 pounds he’s listed at seem quite generous.
  • The lefty has a lightning-quick release and the ball comes out with impressive exit velocity,
  • Gabriel is very good at mistake avoidance, making the best decision with the ball almost every time.

Gabriel has decent pocket mobility and proved on his touchdown scamper he can chew up yards quickly with his legs, too. His downfield arm strength was visibly lacking, however; he had two deeper throws that hung up in the air too long. Even in the warmups on the sideline, it was clear the zip doesn’t last long on his throws.

Kalel Mullings

Michigan’s sledgehammer of a running back had a very rough afternoon against the quickness of Oregon’s defense. Mullings lacks great vision and there is almost no lateral agility to his game. He’s still learning how to play running back, so there is upside for a 233-pound rolling sack of hammers, but he’s still quite green at the nuances of playing running back. Oregon was very effective at not letting him get north-south right away and negating his power. The first Duck to hit him got him down almost every time.

Will Johnson

The standout Michigan cornerback did not play. He’s still recovering from a foot injury suffered early in Michigan’s loss to Illinois on October 19th. Johnson has also missed time in 2024 with a shoulder injury suffered in the Wolverines’ win over USC.