With their final pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Broncos take a flyer

NFL history is littered with college basketball stars who've turned into a productive tight ends; the Broncos hope to add to the list

BY JAMES MERILATT

Apr 26, 2025, 4:42 PM Updated: Jun 30, 2026, 1:10 pm

Follow on Google News

Watch: Sean Payton spoke at Broncos training camp in a surprisingly good mood — compares Bo to Drew Brees | 8 mins

Heading into the offseason, the Broncos had a checklist of needs. On offense, it was all about skill-position players.

Denver needed a running back. They needed a wide receiver. And they needed a tight end.

During the 2025 NFL Draft, the Broncos checked all three boxes. In the second round, they took running back R.J. Harvey out of Central Florida. One round later, Denver grabbed wideout Pat Bryant from Illinois. In the seventh round, the grabbed a tight end.

The #Broncos took a fun one, selecting Utah TE Caleb Lohner at 241, a 6-8 basketball player.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 26, 2025

Lohner had just four receptions in 2024 for Utah. All four went for touchdowns, however, as he racked up 54 yards on the scores.

The NFL has seen a lot of college basketball players turn into great tight ends. Tony Gonzales and Antonio Gates are the best examples. Former Broncos standout Julius Thomas is another.

Will Lohner be the next “project” to blossom on the gridiron. Time will tell, but it’ll be fun to watch.