LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) – As the Bears stood pat with the No. 10 overall pick in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday evening, the top two tight ends in the class remained on the board.
While many thought that Penn State star Tyler Warren would be the first tight end selected, the Bears had other plans. They drafted Michigan tight end Colston Loveland over Warren, adding a key playmaker for their offense while also producing a surprise in the first round.
Afterward, Bears senior director of player personnel Jeff King explained what went into the thought process to take Loveland over Warren, who won the John Mackey Award in 2024, given annually to the most outstanding tight end in college football.
“Tyler’s going to be a great player,” King said. “But for us, we just felt the alignment from coaching to scouting – everybody that touched both players – that he was the best fit for us.
“Both guys are going to have really good careers. But Colston was the best fit for us.”
Warren was selected four picks later by the Colts at No. 14 overall.
The 21-year-old Loveland had 56 receptions for 582 yards and five touchdowns in 2024, when he was named a second-team All-American. In joining the Bears, Loveland projects to play a key role in new head coach Ben Johnson’s offense, which often utilizes two-tight end sets.
“The more time we spent with him, you get the feel of Gooding, Idaho – tough, smart, but has a presence, competitive,” King said. “All of the things we are trying to build here, like, he encompasses that as a person. And that’s not even getting to the field yet. You talk about the cover of the album being your first pick, like, he embodies that.”
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.