From walk-on to drafted: Utah's Devaughn Vele selected by Denver Broncos in 7th round

DETROIT — The Denver Broncos went back to the pool of available players and found another University of Utah player to make their own.

After the Broncos selected defensive end Jonah Elliss with the No. 76 overall pick in the third round, they returned in the seventh round to grab former Utes wide receiver Devaughn Vele with the No. 235 overall pick.

Vele becomes the fifth Utah player selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, joining safety Cole Bishop (Bills), defensive end Jonah Elliss (Broncos), running back Sione Vaki (Lions) and offensive lineman Sataoa Laumea (Seahawks).

He's also the fifth player selected by the Broncos this year, and will join several former Utah players, as well as former BYU quarterback Zach Wilson, who was recently traded to the Broncos from the Jets ahead of the draft.

Vele began his Utah career as a walk-on wide receiver after serving a church mission, but quickly established himself as one of the best receivers in the room and earned a scholarship. He then established himself as WR1 before his eventual exit from Utah after the 2023 season.

In his last season with the Utes — a season in which Utah struggled to establish a consistent passing game with inconsistent quarterback play — Vele recorded 593 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 43 catches. A year prior, Vele had 695 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 55 catches.

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