Colston Loveland- 5 Things To Know About Eagles Draft Prospect
The Eagles could find themselves in need of a Tight End. Dallas Goedert is the subject of trade rumors, and even if he stays, he is in the last year of his deal. There is next to no depth behind Goedert. So at pick 32, could Colston Loveland be the guy for the Eagles?
Here Are 6 Things You Should Know About Michigan TE Colston Loveland
A Deep Threat TE Like Dallas Goedert
A unique thing Goedert brings to the table, that is rare for Tight Ends, is big play ability. Multiple times we have seen Goedert bust a game open with a long run after a catch, including in the playoffs vs Green Bay in a big moment. It’s an aspect you would hate to lose if you trade Goedert. But if Loveland is the replacement, you would be getting someone with that same ability.
Michigan is not a team that airs it out a ton. So he did not get too many chances to show off his deep ball skills. But in the chances he got, he shined. In the 2023 season, he was a perfect 7 for 7, with 206 yards and 3 TDs on targets of over 20 yards, all of those numbers, except for the Targets, were number 1 for TEs in the FCS.
He was 2nd in Yards Per Route Run for TEs in 2023, and 4th this past season. 2024 was a slight step back for him across the board, but that might have been because Michigan as a team took a step back.
Related: Malaki Starks- 6 Things To Know About The Eagles Draft Prospect
Effective Blocker, But Has Work To Do
One thing that also separates him from Goedert is that he is not yet a prolific blocker. Goedert did great work for them in the passing game. But his ability to be an extra blocker does not get the attention it deserves. That is not something Colston Loveland would bring to the Eagles, at least not right away.
Loveland is a willing blocker. Vs smaller ends, he has been able to be very effective. But many scouts think he will need to add more mass if he is going to be a great blocker in the NFL, and that he sometimes leaves had pad level too high. Power Rushers have been able to get the best of him.
he might never be an elite blocker at TE like Goedert is. But he is not a complete loss there either. He has at times had big blocks that helped spring an RB free, is willing and able to block down field, and has competitive size. he just has some work to do. But for a willing blocker that has work to do, there is no better destination than the Eagles.
Comes From A Run Heavy Team
With the Eagles having so much talent, targets are already at a premium. You have to share them with AJ Brown, Devonta Smith, and Saquon Barkley. That is taken to another level when you throw in the fact the Eagles throw it less than almost any team in the league. Eagles were dead last in 2024 with a pass play rate of 43.7%.
Some of that is the fact they often led in games and would go even more run-heavy late. But that isn’t exactly going to change. Anyone who comes here needs to be able to be effective with limited targets. Luckily, that is exactly what Loveland has done.
Michigan was 120th out of 134 teams this past season with a pass rate of 40%. They were 117th in 2023. Michigan runs it as much as anyone. Giving Loveland fewer chances to even get the ball than some of his fellow Tight Ends. yet as we saw with his deep target success, he does a lot with the chances he gets.
Showed Up When Needed
Loveland was a part of the Michigan team that won it all in 2023. But not just a small part. He stepped up at a pivotal point in the game and made a play that eventually helped them ice the game. It was not a TD, but it was a big catch down the field that came at what could have been a turning point for Washington had they gotten the stop.
Michigan had just gotten the ball back with 10 minutes to go. They were up only 7 points. A stop would have given Michigan the chance to tie things up. Instead, on the first play of the drive, Loveland broke off a 41-yard catch, that set up a 12-yard TD run for Blake Corum. Now instead of being up 7, they were up 14.
He was Michigan’s leading receiver in the game, with 3 catches for 63 yards. One of his blocks also helped spring a 46-yard TD run back in the 1st quarter.
Has a Big Fan In Jim Harbaugh
Harbaugh was Loveland’s coach for his 1st two years at Michigan. And Harbaugh saw star power in Loveland before anyone, including Loveland himself, saw it.
“He’s really great, (a) freak athlete think the cat’s out of the bag. And he doesn’t know it. He doesn’t know how good he can be. … I kind of always thought that maybe the longer it takes him to figure that out, the better off he’ll be. But, the cat’s out of the bag.”
The problem for the Eagles will be that Harbuagh’s team, the Chargers, has pick 22. Will Harbaugh look to reunite with the player he clearly has a very high opinion of?
Loveland is expected to go in that range. But it is a deep TE class, with as many as 3, including Loveland, Tyler Warren, and Mason Taylor, capable of going in round 1. So while Loveland’s talent may cause him to go before pick 32, there is a chance he drops just because of the other TEs.
If he gets past his former coach, the Eagles could be in striking range. Or they may get lucky like they did last year with a great player falling into their laps.
