Colston Loveland — NFL Mock Draft Roundup 2.0

In terms of play style, Loveland is more comparable to 2024 first-round pick Brock Bowers than Tyler Warren. The Michigan product missed a chunk of last season with a shoulder injury, but the Colts could see a weapon who can win with size, quickness and savviness against defensive backs and linebackers.

Colston Loveland isn't a Cooper Kupp replacement, but he is a tight end who could do some of the things Kupp used to do for the Rams offense.

Cooper Kupp is out, but the bigger-bodied Loveland can handle a lot of the same responsibilities as a big body from the slot. Loveland isn't a great blocker like a lot of traditional tight ends, but he has the speed and receiving skills to be a clean fit for Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford.

Indianapolis could've traded back to recoup more draft capital, but for a team that desperately needs to upgrade at tight end, Loveland is too good to pass up. The Athletic's draft guru Dane Brugler compared Loveland to Brock Bowers when we spoke about Loveland and Warren at the combine. Obviously, Brugler cautioned that Loveland shouldn't be expected to have the same immediate impact as Bowers, who had a historic rookie season in 2024, but Loveland has the size, speed and versatility to become a QB's best friend. The question in Indianapolis, however, is who that QB will be: Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones? — James Boyd

The Seahawks might have bigger needs, but the value is just too great to pass up Loveland at No. 18. The former Michigan tight end joins Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp to give Sam Darnold an intriguing group of pass catchers.

At this point in the draft, Loveland would qualify as a grand larceny steal — but one could argue that was the case last year with Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean falling into Philadelphia's lap as well. Loveland's soft hands and agility could make him the ideal complementary threat to an offense already loaded with weapons.

Let's not overthink this. The Chargers need a viable tight end weapon, and no one knows Loveland better than Jim Harbaugh.

If any of these Michigan players that are first-rounders fall to Jim Harbaugh, the Chargers will take them. Harbaugh traveled to a town of 3,000 people just to recruit Loveland, and he's very good. He's more of a prototypical tight end than Warren, being more of George Kittle to Warren's Travis Kelce. But Loveland can flex outside, showing terrific route running skills at Michigan. He's got great hands and can run after the catch.

I liked the Colts' signings of Charvarius Ward and Camryn Bynum, so I'm less worried about the secondary than I was a few weeks ago. But I'm still very concerned about Indy's pass-catching options. This is a make-or-break season for quarterback Anthony Richardson -- especially now that Daniel Jones is in the fold as competition -- and the wide receiver and tight end rooms are light.

The Colts could take a wideout such as Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan, Ohio State's Emeka Egbuka or Texas' Matthew Golden. But Loveland is ranked higher on my board than all three and could immediately become Indy's No. 1 tight end. I see him hauling in some Richardson deep balls down the seam.

Jim Harbaugh isn't likely to pass on his former player when it's such an obvious fit for the Chargers needs. Getting another reliable pass-catcher for Justin Herbert is a must.

The Colts get left out of the Tyler Warren sweepstakes in this scenario but still come away with a talented flex receiver who can create some of the same mismatch problems (or more, if you compare the two in space).

With a well-established offensive line that may need a guard to take over for Will Fries, this team has the infrastructure to win the point of attack well enough and embrace the receiving profile of this tight end.