How great could Michigan tight end Colston Loveland be this season?

Michigan has had plenty of good tight ends in recent years, but just how high is the ceiling for Colston Loveland in the 2024 offense?

At the end of the 2022 season, fans started to get excited about Colston Loveland, thinking that he could be the next great in a lineage of Michigan tight ends. Touchdown receptions against Ohio State and Purdue , as well as some early usage in the Fiesta Bowl gave fans a glimpse of what he could do.

That excitement turned into a full-scale breakout during the 2023 season. Loveland and Roman Wilson proved to be the go-to targets for J.J. McCarthy, eventually helping lead Michigan to a national title.

He finished the 2023 season with 45 receptions for 649 yards and four touchdowns. His efforts would also earn him first team All-Big Ten honors from the coaches and second team from the media. But just how much better could things be in 2024?

Loveland enters the new season with some lofty expectations for sure. After all, he is the only starter returning on the offensive side of the ball and is one of the best players on Michigan’s roster.

Loveland isn’t your typical in-line tight end either. As we’ve seen so far, he should be thought of more as a big wide receiver, thanks in part to his ability to run routes to all levels of the field, run after the catch, and high-point the football. The talent is undeniable, and he probably figures to be a first- or second-round draft pick next year.

There have been plenty of great tight ends that have rolled through the college football world in the last five years, and Loveland figures to join the list of greats that we’ve seen at the position in recent years.

For some context here’s a look at the final stat lines for five recent first and second round NFL draft picks who were their team’s leading receivers in their final collegiate seasons, as well as Loveland’s line from 2023:

Kyle Pitts, Florida , 2020: 8 games, 43 receptions, 770 yards (17.9 yards per reception), 12 touchdowns

Trey McBride, Colorado State, 2021: 12 games, 90 receptions, 1,121 yards (12.5 yards per reception), 1 touchdown

Michael Mayer, Notre Dame , 2022: 12 games, 67 receptions, 809 yards (12.1 yards per reception), 9 touchdowns

Dalton Kincaid, Utah, 2022: 12 games, 70 receptions, 890 yards (12.7 yards per reception), 8 touchdowns

Brock Bowers, Georgia , 2023: 10 games, 56 receptions, 714 yards (12.8 yards per reception), 6 touchdowns

Colston Loveland, Michigan, 2024: 15 games, 45 receptions, 649 yards (14.4 yards per reception), 4 touchdowns

As you can see, Loveland’s sophomore campaign wasn’t nearly as impressive as the final seasons of the other guys on the list. Despite playing more games, he didn’t manage as many yards or receptions, but he can certainly fit right in with the rest of the group after the 2024 season.

One reason for Loveland being able to fit in with this group is the opportunity he will have for production in 2024. Loveland doesn’t face that much competition for targets this year — Cornelius Johnson and Roman Wilson were responsible for 95 total receptions in 2023, and even A.J. Barner had 22 of his own.

These won’t all be added on to Loveland’s total of 45 from last year, but he should receive a decent chunk considering that Michigan’s group of wide receivers is still pretty green. Tyler Morris, Semaj Morgan, and Fred Moore are undoubtedly going to play a role, but Loveland is still the centerpiece of the passing attack.

However, Loveland does have the disadvantage of not having an established QB1 heading into the season. Kyle Pitts had Kyle Trask, Dalton Kincaid had Cam Rising, and Brock Bowers had Carson Beck. It’s no indictment against Alex Orji, Davis Warren, or Jack Tuttle, but we’ve yet to see what they can do for a full season.

With these things considered, is there a tight end from that group of five whose season Loveland can repeat?

We’d be looking for a tight end who was the center of his team’s passing attack, didn’t have the best quarterback play, and was part of a run-heavy offense. From the list of five, Michael Mayer seems like the closest match.

In 2022, Notre Dame had Tyler Buchner and Drew Pyne playing quarterback. Meanwhile the Irish were run-heavy, led by Audric Estime and Logan Diggs who both carried the ball over 150 times. Sounds like 2024 Michigan football to me.

Michael Mayer caught 67 passes in that 2022 Notre Dame offense as the center of the passing game. He had 42 more receptions than the next closest receiver on the team. While that disparity shouldn’t be that big for Michigan in 2024, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Loveland had a sizable lead.

From a talent and play-style perspective though, Loveland probably most closely resembles Dalton Kincaid. Both can win after the catch, aren’t necessarily known for their prowess as blockers, and should line up all over the formation. It’s hard to watch the two play and not see the similarities.

I don’t think it would be too much of a stretch for Loveland to have a stat line in 2024 that’s similar to Mayer’s or Kincaid’s. Something in the range of 60 to 70 receptions for about 800 yards over the course of 12 games should be well within Loveland’s range of outcomes this season.

It would be territory the like of which we haven’t seen a Michigan tight end reach before, but if there’s anyone that has the talent and opportunity to make it happen, it’s Loveland in 2024.