The Chicago Bears selected tight end Colston Loveland with the 10th pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Fans gathered at Soldier Field for a watch party as the team made the selection.
CHICAGO (WLS) — It’s time to start thinking football again. Thursday was the kickoff of the NFL Draft, and it’s happening just up the road in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
The Chicago Bears selected tight end Colston Loveland with the 10th pick in the 1st round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
There was a lot of anticipation leading up to the selection, and fan reaction at a Soldier Field watch party was certainly mixed. Some were panning the pick, but others were calling it the right move for the Bears offense.
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The Chicago Bears have three picks in the first two rounds. Chicago had the tenth overall pick, which was in the first round, followed by picks at 39 and 41, which are in the second round.
It’s the team’s first draft under new head coach Ben Johnson.
The NFL Draft action began with round one at 7 p.m. Thursday, airing on ABC7. Rounds two and three will take place on Friday, starting at 6 p.m., and rounds four through seven will take place starting at noon on Saturday.
Loveland set a school record for a tight end with 56 receptions for 582 yards and five touchdowns as a junior last season. He was second-team All-Big Ten and a finalist for the John Mackey Award given to college football’s top tight end. He was first-team all-conference in the 2023 national championship season, when he caught 45 passes for 649 yards and four TDs.
Loveland gives the Bears a potentially potent tight end tandem with Cole Kmet. New coach Ben Johnson liked to use two tight ends when he was Detroit’s offensive coordinator.
The Bears have been busy since finishing last in the NFC North at 5-12. They landed the most sought-after coaching candidate when they hired Johnson to replace Matt Eberflus, who was fired in the middle of a 10-game losing streak.
Fans were on their feet as the Bears made their pick.
The selection of Loveland elicited surprise and some disappointment.
“I think that this is a terrible pick,” Bears fan Jacob Stein said. “I think that Tyler Warren is a much better tight end.”
But others were happy with the pick.
“I think that he is just, he’s fierce, right,” Bears fan Anthony Bruno said. “He likes to take a hit, and he can run a route.”
“I didn’t expect him to get picked, but I think he’s a perfect fit for Caleb and will have a good amount of receptions this year,” Bears fan Brandon Borucki said.
A Bears draft watch party at Soldier featured all things Monsters of the Midway, including a chance to get an autograph from players like DJ Moore and Tory Taylor.
Before the draft, there was an emotional tribute and moment of silence for Bears Hall-of-Famer Steve “Mongo” McMichael, one day after he died following a battle with ALS.
“He was a great player, Hall-of-Famer. I loved him,” Bears fan Duane Norrvell said. “I thought he was down to earth. He was a true blue-collar Bear.”
Despite the mixed reaction to the Bears’ first-round pick, many see a new chapter for the franchise.
“I’m very confident it’s going to be a real good season for everybody, and I’m very well looking forward to it,” Bears fan Delaney Jackson said.
Many fans said they have high expectations for the new Bears offense, with the addition of a new offensive-minded head coach and offseason moves to strengthen the O-line.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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The Chicago Bears selected tight end Colston Loveland with the 10th pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Fans gathered at Soldier Field for a watch party as the team made the selection.