What we’re hearing about Colston Loveland and the Bears’ 2025 NFL draft class

Minutes after the Chicago Bears selected Michigan tight end Colston Loveland with the No. 10 pick in the NFL draft, an offensive assistant coach on another team sent a text.

“We loved him.”

A tight end who had 582 yards receiving last season as the 10th pick in the draft? It might have confused some who didn’t see value in the pick, or thought the more heralded Tyler Warren should’ve been the tight end if the Bears went that direction.

Around the league, though? It is clear that Loveland has, well, a lot of love.

“He’s a beast,” said one scout on an opposing team.

“Mismatch player,” said another personnel evaluator. “Similar to (Sam) LaPorta.”

We don’t know if Loveland will be a star or live up to his draft cachet. The fit made a ton of sense, pairing a skilled tight end with head coach Ben Johnson. Draft analysts have universally praised the pick. But the Bears weren’t the only ones who rated Loveland highly.

Draft grades are rarely predictive. Even simple draft evaluations immediately after the fact aren’t as helpful as checking in on a class a few years later. Still, we can get an understanding of how sensible general manager Ryan Poles’ fourth draft was to outside observers.

Colleague Dane Brugler ranked the Bears as his seventh-best class, led by Loveland. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. gave the Bears a B+. His colleague, Matt Miller, had second-round wide receiver Luther Burden III as the best pick of the draft— and Loveland was seventh.

Of course, it wasn’t a perfect GPA. CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco gave the Bears a C+— he has questions about Burden. His favorite pick, though? Loveland.

As Bears director of player personnel Jeff King said Thursday night, the first pick is the “cover of the album.” It’s who represents everything the team wants and ultimately will be the focal point when judging the 2025 Bears draft.

When colleague Bruce Feldman wrote his annual “Draft Confidential,” one scouting director told him, “As good as Warren is, I think Loveland is probably the best of the receiving tight ends.”

Where a player gets drafted is often as important as his skill set. As one opposing defensive coach told me, “Ben knows tight ends.”

Johnson’s first coaching job came in 2011 as Boston College’s tight ends coach. His first NFL position coaching job was in 2015 in Miami as the Dolphins’ tight end coach. And we’ve seen what LaPorta has done.

That’s why colleague Ted Nguyen rated the Loveland-Johnson pairing as one of the best scheme fits of the draft. Based on conversations with league sources, the Bears were far from the only team that had Loveland ahead of Warren — not necessarily by a lot, but it wasn’t a one-off. This is a reminder of the difference: the connection with Johnson. Loveland was the tight end he felt best fit his offense.

Some of the criticism for the Bears’ draft is more about whom they didn’t draft than who they did. Poles didn’t select a running back until Round 7. He didn’t take an edge rusher — though defensive tackle Shemar Turner has versatility. No safety was selected, either.

When breaking down the players the Bears did draft, each one’s skill set fits nicely with what Johnson and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen want to do. None of the top four picks was considered a “reach,” though that can be a flawed analysis when we don’t know how NFL teams stack these players.

From a media perspective, Burden may be the Bears’ best value pick. A receiver whom many pegged as a Round 1 talent was available at No. 39. He also happens to play the slot, where the Bears have an opening.

“Was a good player in ’23,” another opposing offensive assistant coach said. “Can make you miss. Will be solid in the slot.”

The personnel evaluator was also bullish on the former Missouri Tiger, saying, “Burden is a baller. Fast, explosive.”

When a player with Burden’s talent level slips to Round 2, there are going to be questions. League sources didn’t get into specifics, but it’s clear there’s a curiosity about whether or not Burden is one of those boom-or-bust prospects. That’s where the Bears hope wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle-El will make an impact.

A wide receiver coach told Feldman that Burden is “definitely the best with the ball in his hands” of the receiver class, adding, “He’s not that polished, but I do think he’s shown enough. He’s so dynamic, special. I think he needs to work on his practice habits and things like that.”

The Bears got their offensive tackle with Boston College’s Ozzy Trapilo, who earned the label of “steady” from those who watched him. “Technician” is the word we heard often from Poles, and something Trapilo prides himself on.

Turner got a whole section in Feldman’s draft confidential. Check out this quote from a defensive line coach.

“He might’ve been a first-rounder if he was in last year’s class,” he told Feldman. “He plays with such an edge. He’s a f—ing a–hole. I like his position flex. He can bounce out there and play edge, can kick him to the three(-technique), kick him to the nose. Watch the tape, he’s the best one from A&M. Holy s—, this fool is coming off the ball. Walter Nolen’s the most explosive, hands down, but he’s not far from him.”

In Brugler’s report, a scout told him, “He’s the type you want on your side.”

Skill set-wise, one scout said Turner is “compact and tough to move. A good interior D-lineman.”

One opposing defensive assistant coach liked Turner and said the Bears’ second-rounder showed “good first-step quickness.” Another opposing defensive coach said he loved Turner, who will benefit from getting to work with veterans Grady Jarrett and Andrew Billings.

Handwringing over Day 3 picks can be a fruitless exercise. The hit rate on players drafted in Rounds 4-7 is not high. Finding dependable players who could be starters one day is a goal. Those picks shouldn’t define a class immediately.

Linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II, for example, wasn’t on many media draft boards, but that doesn’t mean the Bears were the only ones who had him in Round 4. His speed is off the charts for his position, and we know Allen values that.

There was one Day 3 pick who elicited outside praise — Rutgers running back Kyle Monangai. While that still shouldn’t reflect the entire class, it’s noteworthy. Seventh-round picks aren’t often talked about like Monangai has been.

“Solid all around,” said the opposing offensive assistant coach. “Runs hard, protects, never fumbled, can catch. Wouldn’t be surprised if he plays a lot there.”

The personnel evaluator went as far as saying Monangai is a “poor man’s (David) Montgomery.”

“Good contact balance,” he said. “Tough to bring down. Lacks burst and top-end speed.”

Monangai had back-to-back 1,200-yard seasons at Rutgers. His combine performance didn’t wow anyone with measureables, but his tape caught the eye of evaluators. We’ll see if the Bears add a free-agent back at some point, but Monangai seems to have a chance to compete with Roschon Johnson to be D’Andre Swift’s complement.

“It’s a good pick that late for them,” the coach said.

The 2025 draft class started and ended with Big Ten players who have a lot of fans in the scouting and coaching community. It doesn’t mean the Bears’ rookies will be memorable. The franchise’s recent draft history isn’t great, but it just takes one.

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