Bears make surprise pick at No. 10 to give Caleb Williams new wea.pon

The Chicago Bears entered the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft with the No. 10 pick. There was plenty of speculation regarding what the team would do after hiring former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as head coach. On Thursday night, Chicago left the draft with a surprising selection, but it should help Caleb Williams in the long run.

In a turn of events that not many saw coming, the Bears decided to draft a tight end, however, it wasn't Penn State superstar Tyler Warren. No, instead, it was Michigan's Colston Loveland. Warren was viewed as the consensus No. 1 tight end, but Chicago took the consensus No. 2-ranked tight end in Loveland.

Loveland played three seasons at Michigan, serving as the starting tight end. His final season with the Michigan Wolverines was cut short due to a shoulder injury. He is expected to be fully healthy by the start of next season. The 21-year-old tight end finished the 2024-25 campaign with 56 receptions, 582 receiving yards, and five touchdowns.

It's surprising the Bears took Loveland, considering how much more productive Warren was in his final year at Penn State. Warren, who will be 23 years old in May, not only played tight end for the Nittany Lions, but he was a versatile weapon. He would line up as a receiver, running back, center, and quarterback. Wherever Penn State needed him, Warren lined up. He ended the 2024-25 season with 104 receptions, 1,233 receiving yards, and 13 total touchdowns.

Eight of his scores were caught while he rushed in four. He also had a lone touchdown pass that he threw in the regular season as well. Many expected him to be the first tight end off the board in the NFL Draft, but the Bears went a completely different direction instead.

Perhaps head coach Ben Johnson knows something nobody else does. During his time with the Lions, he coached star tight end Sam LaPorta, who emerged as a top option in the passing game in Detroit. So, maybe Johnson believes Loveland can do something similar with Caleb Williams throwing him the ball in Chicago.