The Denver Broncos made one of the most interesting selections on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft when they took Utah tight end Caleb Lohner, a guy with less than 60 snaps played at the collegiate level. There was so much intrigue with Lohner thanks to his basketball background and his production within those 56 snaps he played for the Utes.
Lohner caught four passes, all four of them for touchdowns. He had a fifth reception which went for a two-point conversion. He also blocked a kick on special teams.
The guy is fascinating from a prospect standpoint because you rarely see that much success in such a small sample from a guy who just hasn't played the game. Luckily, Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton has plenty of experience with that as he was the one who used a 3rd-round pick on Jimmy Graham despite Graham -- a college basketball player -- having just 18 collegiate receptions.
Comparisons have been made between Lohner and Graham because of their basketball backgrounds and the obvious connection to Sean Payton, but Lohner wasn't going to help drive that train when he got the chance to meet with the media.
Broncos TE Caleb Lohner resists the temptation to compare himself to Jimmy Graham
“I think our size is the same, but I have a long way to go. I have to keep learning and growing every day in this game.”
- TE Caleb Lohner (via Broncos PR)
Not only did Lohner not take the bait, but he pivoted to a more humble response. The rookie is already an experienced vet when it comes to handling the media, it seems.
Regardless of his humility, Lohner is going to be a player in the spotlight all offseason for the Broncos, thanks to his basketball background. Fair or not, this is a young player whose hype train is almost running off the rails right now and the Broncos have no reason to slow it down.
The guy is just interesting. And for him, he's in a great spot because the Broncos have been searching high and low for playmakers at the tight end position. We've seen what he can do as a red zone threat, but what about what he can do after the catch? How will he do against more NFL competition?
When the veterans come to minicamp, hearing about Lohner's progress is going to be a lot of fun for Broncos fans.