Broncos ‘Foiled’ Rival’s Draft Plans for Converted Playmaker

The Denver Broncos’ 2025 draft class has been questioned, but several of the prospects they picked have been linked to other teams in the aftermath. The latest is Broncos tight end Caleb Lohner.

Selected with the No. 241 overall pick, Lohner is an experienced but big-bodied target.

He was on the Indianapolis Colts’ radar, per The Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson, before the Broncos and head coach Sean Payton got involved.

“Source said Colts had reached an agreement to sign Utah TE Caleb Lohner as a free agent if he went undrafted last Saturday. But #Broncos foiled that by taking him No. 241 in 7th round,”  Tomasson reported on X on April 30. “Colts could’ve taken him 232 in 7th but got S Hunter Wohler, who was at Wisc. with [Broncos defensive backs coach] Jim Leonhard.”

Lohner could carve out a niche early on with the Broncos as a weapon for quarterback Bo Nix, with Payton comparing him to former Pro Bowl tight end Jimmy Graham after the draft.

“I think going back with Jimmy Graham, I think he had 14, 15 catches. Both of them had a season. Both of them were very good basketball players. And now in Jimmy’s case, there was a lot more. He was a combine invite. And with Caleb, like we were talking about earlier, we’re late in this draft. And yet, you’re rooting for some guys, and you see upside,” Payton told reporters on April 26. “You can see the basketball skill set; that’s easy, at a high level. And then, you’re looking at a small amount of playing time. And yet, enough to where you’re watching him.”

The Broncos signed Evan Engram in free agency this offseason.

They also return three of their top TEs from 2024, in Adam Trautman, Lucas Krull, and Nate Adkins, and prospect Thomas Yassmin. However, Engram has battled injuries throughout his career, and the others combined for 5 TDs in 2025, all by Adkins and Trautman.

Draft Experts Get Real About Broncos TE Caleb Lohner

NFL.com’s Eric Edholm highlighted Lohner’s inexperience, but also that the former hooper could give the Broncos an advantage in the passing game.

“The former BYU and Baylor hooper measures 6-foot-7 and 256 pounds, putting on more of a show at the Utes’ pro day than he did on the field in just over 100 snaps of total football experience,” Edholm wrote after the selection. That said, all four of his college catches were TDs.”

Lohner reflected on his journey, sharing a highlight reel in March.

“What an incredible collegiate journey—wouldn’t change a thing,” Lohner posted. “So grateful to everyone who made it special, and excited to chase my passion for football in the NFL.”

ESPN’s Steve Muench’s profile on Lohner echoed similar sentiments.

“Lohner is a former basketball player who didn’t play college football until 2024. He’s a tall target who ran well on his pro day,” Muench wrote. “Lohner is a matchup problem in the red zone, where he can naturally block out and elevate for the ball.”

Broncos’ Trio Draw Notable Praise From HC Sean Payton

Payton compared two other players to those he coached while with the New Orleans Saints, just as he did with Graham and Lohner.

The Super Bowl-winning coach compared second-round pick (No. 60 overall) RJ Harvey to former Saints RB Darren Sproles. Payton also offered Michael Thomas comps for third-round wide receiver Pat Bryant, whom the Broncos selected with the 74th pick.

Notably, the Jacksonville Jaguars wanted Bryant and Harvey.

“In a perfect world, the No. 70 selection would boil down to a choice between two players: Central Florida running back RJ Harvey and Louisville edge rusher Ashton Gillotte,” The Athletic’s Mike Silver wrote on April 29. “In the real world, things would get far more complicated.’

Sharp Football Analysis’ Warren Sharp ranked the Broncos’ draft as the third-least valuable this year. They must prove him wrong on the field, but the Broncos were not alone in their interest.