Caleb Lohner's traits excite Broncos coach Sean Payton
Caleb Lohner's traits excite Broncos coach Sean Payton
With their final pick in the 2025 NFL draft, the Denver Broncos made an unconventional selection, picking Utah tight end Caleb Lohner, a basketball player with just four career receptions as a tight end.
Speaking at rookie minicamp earlier this month, Broncos coach Sean Payton was asked what he's seen from the Lohner so far.
'It's limited," Payton said. "So this is a basketball player for most of his career. He plays a year of football, count the snaps, count the catches. I get it. Yet you see traits, you see movements. I'm not a big fan of the Big 12 Pro Day because a player like him gets six routes instead of 20 that he would get at his own Pro Day. So hopefully that's going away, but there are two or three clips where I'm like, 'Play it again. Play it again.' Then, when you watch him, and you watch him move, and even in our first two days here, [you see promise].
"People bring up Jimmy [Graham as a comparison]. Now, Jimmy was a third-round pick. I get it, but there were some similarities in that. He only played a year, 80-something snaps. I think he had 18 catches. So yes, we have to coach and develop. In other words, if it was already present when you watch him, and you guys see him, and shake his hand and stand next to him, like, 'Holy cow.' There are traits there that excite me. Then just visiting with him, and his intentionality and his excitement about it. I'm excited to watch it.'
Lohner (6-7, 250 pounds) has been connected to Graham because he's a converted basketball player in Payton's offense, but the rookie isn't quite ready to make that connection himself.
'I think our size is the same, but I have a long way to go," Lohner said when asked about his similarities to Graham. "I have to keep learning and growing every day in this game.'
After attending rookie minicamp earlier this month, Lohner will return for organized team activities later this week.
'It's an amazing experience, an amazing opportunity," Lohner said at rookie camp. "All I want to do here is improve every day [and] learn the game of football. I think this is the best place for it. I'm excited to take [on] each and every day the next steps.'
Lohner will be a long shot to make the team's 53-man roster in 2025, but he'll get a chance. It's up to him to take advanatage of it this summer.
Related: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.
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