Former Basketball Star Caleb Lohner Turning Heads at Broncos Rookie Minicamp
The Denver Broncos used their final pick in the 2025 NFL Draft—No. 241 overall—to select Utah tight end Caleb Lohner. At 6-foot-7 and 250 pounds, Lohner is an intriguing prospect not only for his size but also for his unconventional path to football.
Remarkably, Lohner only began playing football in 2024. Despite limited experience, he made an instant impact—catching just four passes, all of which resulted in touchdowns, plus a two-point conversion. His first career reception? A 20-yard touchdown.
Before his brief football stint, Lohner played five years of college basketball at BYU, Baylor, and Utah. His athletic background caught the attention of Broncos head coach Sean Payton, who has a history of developing former basketball players into NFL tight ends, most notably Jimmy Graham during his time in New Orleans.
During this weekend’s rookie minicamp, Payton spoke highly of Lohner’s potential.
“There are two or three clips where I’m like, ‘Play it again. Play it again.’ Then when you watch him move, even just in our first two days here… People bring up Jimmy. Now Jimmy was a third-round pick—I get it—but there are similarities. He only played a year, had about 80 snaps and 18 catches. We’ll need to coach and develop him, but when you see him, shake his hand, and stand next to him, it’s like, ‘Holy cow.’ There are traits there that excite me.”
