Colston Loveland

Colston Loveland, Michigan, TE, 6'5⅝", 248 lbs, Junior

Draft Profile

Overview

Colston Loveland is a dynamic receiving tight end prospect who combines size, athleticism, and natural ball skills to become a matchup nightmare for defenses. His ability to create separation, win contested catches, and stress defenses vertically makes him an immediate contributor in the passing game. Loveland’s blocking is still developing, but his receiving upside should entice teams employing creative offensive schemes, particularly those favoring 12 personnel packages. Early in his career, he projects as a detached “F” tight end working from the slot while gaining the strength and technique needed for inline roles. Loveland’s trajectory suggests Pro Bowl potential, and his youth (he won’t turn 21 until after the draft) makes him a long-term asset for teams seeking explosive weapons in their aerial attack.

Background

Growing up in Bliss, Idaho, Loveland dominated at Gooding High School as both a football and basketball player, setting records for receptions while showcasing his versatility. His multi-sport background caught Michigan’s attention, where he quickly made an impact as a freshman, earning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Loveland’s sophomore campaign earned him first-team All-Big Ten recognition, while his junior season cemented his status as one of the nation’s top tight ends. He broke Michigan’s single-season reception record for tight ends with 56 catches while contributing to a national championship. Loveland’s basketball background enhances his catch radius and contested-catch ability, while his 4.70 speed stretches defenses vertically. Declaring for the draft after three years of steady production, Loveland remains one of the most intriguing offensive weapons in the class.

Scouting Report

Pros:

Loveland’s athleticism and fluid movement skills set him apart, allowing him to play like an oversized receiver. He consistently secures throws with strong grip strength and an expansive catch radius, showcasing natural hands and body control. His savvy route-running enables him to create separation against linebackers and safeties, making him a mismatch in the passing game. Loveland’s basketball background translates to excellent high-point ability, dominating contested catch situations with box-out techniques and precision timing. His vertical speed makes him a dangerous seam threat, capable of delivering explosive plays downfield. After the catch, Loveland runs with determination and agility, picking up chunk yards regularly. His versatility allows him to align inline, in the slot, or split wide, providing offensive coordinators with creative options. Against zone coverage, Loveland processes quickly, finding soft spots and presenting reliable targets for his quarterback.

Cons:

While Loveland excels as a receiver, his blocking technique and play strength need improvement, as he struggles to sustain blocks against powerful rushers. His route running occasionally suffers from rounded breaks, allowing defenders to stay in phase on timing routes. Loveland is still filling out his frame, needing additional functional strength to handle physical matchups. Focus drops can be an issue, as he sometimes turns upfield prematurely. His pass protection skills remain raw, reflecting limited experience in this area.

 

HISTORY FROM COLLEGE PROFILE 

CAREER HIGHS

Receiving 
• Catches: 5, 2x - last vs. Ohio State (Nov. 25, 2023)
• Yards: 88 - vs. Ohio State (Nov. 25, 2023)
• TDs: 2 - at Michigan State (Oct. 21, 2023)
• Long: 54 - vs. Indiana (Oct. 14, 2023)

At Michigan
• All-Big Ten selection (first team, coaches; second team, media, 2023)
• Offensive and Co-Special Teams Rookie of the Year (2022)
• Two-time letterman (2022-23)
• Has appeared in 29 games with 17 starts at tight end

Sophomore (2023)
• Appeared in all 15 games with 12 starts at tight end; caught 45 passes for 649 yards with four touchdowns, finishing second on the team in the latter two categories, and also made one tackle to earn his second varsity letter 
• All-Big Ten selection (first team, coaches; second team, media)
• Five times shared Offensive Player of the Week honors for his performance against Rutgers, Indiana, Purdue, at Michigan State, at Maryland
• Caught four passes for 57 yards against ECU (Sept. 2)
• Started against UNLV (Sept. 9) and made two receptions totaling six yards
• Made three receptions for 30 yards starting against Bowling Green (Sept. 16)
• Led the team with a career-high 75 yards receiving on five catches against Rutgers (Sept. 23)
• Made one catch for seven yards starting at tight end at Nebraska (Sept. 30)
• Caught a 24-yard touchdown playing tight end and on special teams at Minnesota (Oct. 7)
• Against Indiana (Oct. 14), totaled 80 yards on three catches with a career-long 54-yard touchdown
• At Michigan State (Oct. 21), recorded his first multi-score game with four catches for 79 yards and two touchdowns
• Started against Purdue (Nov. 4) and caught four passes totaling 55 yards
• Caught two passes totaling seven yards and also played on special teams at Penn State (Nov. 11)
• At Maryland (Nov. 18), caught three passes and led the team with 36 yards, adding one special teams tackle
• Led the team with five catches and 88 yards in a start against Ohio State (Nov. 25)
• Started against Iowa in the Big Ten Championship (Dec. 2) and delivered three catches for 22 yards
• Caught two passes for 13 yards in a start against Alabama in the Rose Bowl/CFP Semifinal (Jan. 1), and also played on special teams
• Gained a team-high 64 yards on three catches starting against Washington in the CFP National Championship Game (Jan. 8)

Freshman (2022)
• Appeared in all 14 games with five starts at tight end; caught 16 passes for 235 yards with two touchdowns and made four tackles to earn his first varsity letter
• Offensive and Co-Special Teams Rookie of the Year (2022)
• On six occasions, named Offensive Freshman of the Game following his performances against Colorado State, Penn State, Michigan State, Nebraska, at Iowa, at Ohio State
• Twice named Special Teams Freshman of the Game following his performances against Maryland and at Ohio State
• Shared Offensive Player of the Week honors for his performance against Illinois 
• Debuted against Colorado State (Sept. 3) and caught two passes totaling 18 yards
• Saw snaps at tight end against Hawaii (Sept. 10) and made a 10-yard reception
• Made a five-yard reception playing tight end against UConn (Sept. 17) and also contributed on special teams
• Recovered an onside kick attempted by Maryland (Sept. 24) to help beat the Terps
• Played as a tight end and contributed on special teams at Iowa (Oct. 1)
• Made a pair of tackles while playing snaps at tight end and on special teams at Indiana (Oct. 8)
• Made his first career start against Penn State (Oct. 15) and contributed at tight end and on special teams
• Played at tight end and on special teams, and was targeted once against Michigan State (Oct. 29)
• Started and caught a six-yard pass playing tight end and contributing on special teams at Rutgers (Nov. 5)
• Caught two passes for 40 yards with a season-long 28-yarder against Nebraska (Nov. 12)
• Against Illinois (Nov. 19), started at tight end and caught three passes for 32 yards 
• Caught his first career touchdown, a 45-yarder, and made a special teams tackle at Ohio State (Nov. 26)
• Made a 25-yard touchdown catch against Purdue in the Big Ten Championship (Dec. 3)
• Totaled 36 yards on four catches against TCU in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl/CFP Semifinal (Dec. 31)

Prep
• Attended Gooding High School (2022) coached by Cam Andersen
• Four-year varsity player; set school records for catches in a season (91) and in a game (19)
• Helped lead the Senators to a 9-1 record as a senior with an appearance in the Class 3A state seminal
• Went 8-2 as a junior in 2020 and helped Gooding reach the playoffs
• Part of Senators teams that went 8-3 in 2018 and 8-2 his sophomore year in 2019
• Also lettered in basketball at Gooding; first team All-Idaho and 2021 SCIC Co-Player of the year after averaging 12.8 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game while shooting 40 percent from three-point range

Key Statistics
• For his career, totaled 235 receptions for 3,141 yards and 35 touchdowns, 3,493 all-purpose yards and 39 scores
• Caught 62 passes for 968 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior, with 33 carries for 352 yards and four touchdowns rushing; added 66 tackles with 18 for loss, 5.5 sacks and two interceptions on defense
• As a junior, caught 69 passes for 816 yards with six touchdowns
• Made 91 catches as a sophomore, totaling 1,147 yards with 14 touchdowns
• During his freshman season, made 13 receptions for 210 yards with one touchdown

Honors and Rankings
• Earned a 247Sports Composite ranking of four stars; the No. 340 overall player nationally, the No. 16 tight end and the No. 1 player in the state of Idaho
• Named a four-star prospect by 247Sports; the No. 10 tight end and the No. 1 player in Idaho
• Rated as a three-star prospect by ESPN, the No. 70 player in the region, the No. 11 tight end and the No. 1 player in the state of Idaho
• Rivals.com four-star prospect, the No. 13 tight end in the nation
• On3.com four-star consensus prospect, the No. 324 player in the nation, the No. 16 tight end and the No. 1 player in Idaho
• On3.com three-star prospect, the No. 21 tight end and Idaho’s No. 1 player
• Gatorade Football Idaho Player of the Year
• Sawtooth Central Idaho Conference (SCIC) 2021 Co-Offensive MVP at the tight end position
• Three-time first team all-state player at tight end
• Three-time first team SCIC all-conference pick as a linebacker and tight end his sophomore, junior, and senior seasons (2019-20-21)

Personal
• Colston Loveland was born April 9, 2004
• Son of Chad Loveland and Rachel Faulkner
• Brother, Cayden, set several receiving records at Gooding and plays wide receiver at Carroll College of the NAIA
• Enrolled in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, majoring in General Studies

2022

rushing
YPC	TD	YDS	CAR	LONG
-8.0	0.0	-8.0	1.0	0.0

receiving
REC	YPR	TD	LONG	YDS
16.0	14.7	2.0	45.0	235.0

defensive
TFL	QB HUR	TOT	TD	PD	SACKS	SOLO
0.0	0.0	4.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0