Let’s take a closer look at one of the prospects the Panthers could select in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Since it’s never too early to look forward to the NFL Draft, this weekly series will take a closer look at some of the prospects the Carolina Panthers could select in the 2025 iteration of the Draft. In this series, we’ll only be looking at prospects the Panthers could seriously consider. This week our profile will focus on Michigan Wolverines tight end Colston Loveland.
Loveland was a two sport athlete in high school, and the University of Michigan took note of his dominance on both sides of the ball on the football field. He had a decent impact on Michigan’s offense right out of the gates but truly blossomed in his sophomore season, earning him a First Team All-Big 10 selection. This past season, Loveland was able to break receiving records for tight ends at Michigan despite a run heavy offense and inconsistent quarterback play. This production led to him garnering Second Team All-American honors.
Loveland’s exceptional athleticism and catch radius jump off the screen when watching him play. He has good catching technique, using his hands instead of waiting for the ball to come into his body. That technique plus his basketball background make him a formidable player in contested catch situations. His sharp route running makes contested catches fairly rare, as does his natural feel for finding the soft spots in zone coverages. Loveland does occasionally have focus drops (three against Penn State, for example), and he absolutely should not be trusted in pass protection. His run blocking also leaves a lot to be desired, but he could still fill out his frame with more functional strength to improve that area of his game. Still, Loveland’s versatility in lining up anywhere could make him a matchup nightmare at the next level.
What do you think, Panthers fans? If Colston Loveland is available when the Panthers select in the 2025 NFL Draft, should they take him? Sound off in the comments!