The Denver Broncos found a diamond in the rough out of the UFL with pass rusher Dondrea Tillman a couple of years ago, and they might have another gem on their hands in wide receiver Hakeem Butler.
The Broncos made Butler -- the UFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2026 -- the first player from that league to sign to an NFL roster once players were permitted to do so. It was already an intriguing signing on paper due to Butler's success this past season in the UFL, but also his pedigree as a former 4th-round pick of the Arizona Cardinals with outstanding size (6-foot-5) and speed (4.48 in the 40-yard dash) at the position.
Butler has wasted no time making an impression at Denver Broncos training camp. In two days of "real" practices, Butler has already come down with two long touchdown grabs, and has proven his size advantage dating back to the team's minicamp in June.
The Broncos already have a major logjam at the receiver position, but if Butler can keep stacking days at camp, he's going to complicate the discussion even further.
UFL star Hakeem Butler is making an early impression at Broncos training camp
Stidham misdirection heave to Hakeem Butler, who catches second long TD pass in two days of camp.
— MikeKlis9NEWS (@mikeklis9news) August 1, 2026
Onlookers at camp characterized the pass from Stidham to Butler as being 70-plus yards.
That's exactly what Butler has always done pretty well: Exploit defensive backs with his elite combination of size and speed. But as training camp rolls along, he's going to have to prove that he can do it against the Broncos' top two defensive units in order to become the team's next UFL success story.
But he can absolutely make that happen.
Butler was drafted out of Iowa State back in 2019, and while he was a beloved prospect by many in the NFL Draft community for his traits coming out of college, he simply hasn't been able to figure it out at the NFL level. In baseball, a player like Hakeem Butler is classified as a "AAAA" player, or someone who is too good for AAA and not quite good enough to be a regular in the MLB.
The Broncos could finally unlock whatever it is that Butler needs to do in order to actually stick on an NFL roster and compete for snaps during the season.
The biggest hurdle he's facing right now might not even been a issue of talent, but the Broncos' ridiculous depth chart at receiver. Already at the start of camp, all of Courtland Sutton, Jaylen Waddle, Marvin Mims Jr., Pat Bryant, and Lil'Jordan Humphrey are making big plays and stacking days.
It's still early on, but Butler is going to be one to watch as training camp progresses. Everybody loves a good story from a player near the bottom of the roster, but considering this guy is 30 years old and has been fighting to actually make it in the NFL for so long, it feels like this could be one of the top-tier feel-good stories of camp.
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