# Caleb Lohner
**Caleb Lohner** is an American professional football tight end for the [Denver Broncos](https://www.edgepedia.org/denver-broncos) of the [National Football League](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-football-league). He played four seasons of college basketball, for the BYU Cougars and the Baylor Bears, before switching to football as a tight end for the Utah Utes in 2024, and the Broncos selected him in the seventh round (241st overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft.[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LohnCa00.htm) • [2](https://www.denverbroncos.com/team/players-roster/caleb-lohner-2/logs/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | Flower Mound, Texas; sources list the date as 2001[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LohnCa00.htm) • [2](https://www.denverbroncos.com/team/players-roster/caleb-lohner-2/logs/) |
| Size | 6 ft 7 in (201 cm), 250 lb (113 kg)[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LohnCa00.htm) |
| College basketball | BYU 2020–22 (62 games, 44 starts); Baylor 2022–24 (69 games)[3](https://utahutes.com/sports/football/roster/caleb-lohner/15599) |
| College football | Utah, 2024: 12 games, 4 receptions for 54 yards, all 4 catches touchdowns, plus one blocked field goal and one two-point conversion[2](https://www.denverbroncos.com/team/players-roster/caleb-lohner-2/logs/) |
| NFL Draft | Denver Broncos, 7th round, 241st overall, 2025[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LohnCa00.htm) |
| Athletic testing | Big 12 Pro Day: 4.69-second 40-yard dash, 37-inch vertical jump, 10 ft 7 in broad jump, 7.15-second 3-cone drill[4](https://www.milehighreport.com/2025/6/11/24446813/broncos-roster-review-tight-end-caleb-lohner) |
| NFL status | Waived in final roster cuts, then signed to the Broncos' 16-man practice squad on August 27, 2025[5](https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/broncos-sign-16-players-to-practice-squad) |
## Early life and high school
Lohner was born in [Flower Mound, Texas](https://www.edgepedia.org/flower-mound-texas), and played his first two high school seasons at Flower Mound High School before transferring to Wasatch Academy in Mt. Pleasant, Utah, where he played basketball.[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LohnCa00.htm) • [2](https://www.denverbroncos.com/team/players-roster/caleb-lohner-2/logs/) As a senior he averaged 14.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.3 steals per game and led his team to a 27–2 record.[3](https://utahutes.com/sports/football/roster/caleb-lohner/15599)
His recruitment contained an early twist: he originally committed and signed with the [University of Utah](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-utah) in 2019, then asked out of his letter of intent to join rival BYU.[6](https://www.ksl.com/article/sports/utah-utes/from-basketball-to-football-utahs-caleb-lohner-remains-intriguing-asset-at-tight-end/51092649)
## College basketball career
**BYU.** Lohner played in every game as a freshman in 2020–21, averaging 7.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks, and was named to the WCC All-Freshman Team in 2021.[2](https://www.denverbroncos.com/team/players-roster/caleb-lohner-2/logs/) • [7](https://utahutes.com/news/2025/2/5/mens-basketball-featuring-the-runnin-utes-caleb-lohner.aspx) As a sophomore in 2021–22 he started 31 of 35 games and averaged 7.0 points and 6.4 rebounds.[2](https://www.denverbroncos.com/team/players-roster/caleb-lohner-2/logs/)
**Baylor.** He entered the transfer portal and signed with Baylor, returning to his home state for two seasons in Waco.[7](https://utahutes.com/news/2025/2/5/mens-basketball-featuring-the-runnin-utes-caleb-lohner.aspx) In 2022–23 he played 34 games, averaging 3.2 points and 3.5 rebounds in 12.3 minutes, and in 2023–24 he appeared in all 35 games, averaging 2.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 9.2 minutes.[3](https://utahutes.com/sports/football/roster/caleb-lohner/15599) In the 2023 NCAA Tournament he set a Baylor tournament record by going a perfect 5-for-5 from the field.[3](https://utahutes.com/sports/football/roster/caleb-lohner/15599) Across his four basketball seasons he played 153 games and averaged 4.5 points.[8](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/denver-broncos/news/grading-broncos-seventh-round-selection-tight-end-caleb-lohner/2982ea964d8b97263b9bbb77)
## Switch to football at Utah
After graduating from Baylor in 2024, Lohner committed to the University of Utah to play tight end for [Kyle Whittingham](https://www.edgepedia.org/kyle-whittingham)'s football team, with four years of college basketball behind him and no prior college football experience.[7](https://utahutes.com/news/2025/2/5/mens-basketball-featuring-the-runnin-utes-caleb-lohner.aspx) His single season produced a striking stat line: he appeared in all 12 games and caught four passes for 54 yards, and every catch went for a touchdown.[2](https://www.denverbroncos.com/team/players-roster/caleb-lohner-2/logs/) The scores came on a 20-yard touchdown on his first college reception, against Southern Utah in his first football game, an 11-yard scoring pass at Utah State, a 20-yard grab against Arizona, and a 3-yard catch at Colorado; he also blocked a field goal against Utah State and caught a two-point conversion against Iowa State.[3](https://utahutes.com/sports/football/roster/caleb-lohner/15599)
He then returned to the court, playing 22 games with 2 starts for Utah basketball in 2024–25 and averaging 2.8 points and 2.0 rebounds, including a first-career double-double of 10 points and 12 rebounds against his former school BYU.[2](https://www.denverbroncos.com/team/players-roster/caleb-lohner-2/logs/) • [9](https://utahutes.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/caleb-lohner/15512) In total he played only 57 offensive snaps of college football.[8](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/denver-broncos/news/grading-broncos-seventh-round-selection-tight-end-caleb-lohner/2982ea964d8b97263b9bbb77)
## NFL career
The Denver Broncos selected Lohner with the 241st overall pick in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, their final selection that year.[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LohnCa00.htm) Head coach [Sean Payton](https://www.edgepedia.org/sean-payton), who turned the basketball-playing [Jimmy Graham](https://www.edgepedia.org/jimmy-graham) into a five-time [Pro Bowl](https://www.edgepedia.org/pro-bowl) tight end with the Saints, drew the comparison himself, saying that Lohner's movement skills, 6-foot-7 frame, and hand-eye coordination gave Denver "a lot to work with" despite the tiny sample of 54 career receiving yards.[10](https://www.nfl.com/news/broncos-sean-payton-sees-a-lot-to-work-with-after-drafting-collegiate-basketball-player-te-caleb-lohner)
Lohner was waived in the final roster cuts before the 2025 season, and on August 27, 2025 the Broncos signed him to their 16-man practice squad, one of 16 players who had all competed with the team during the 2025 preseason.[5](https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/broncos-sign-16-players-to-practice-squad) By season's end, other NFL teams had inquired about signing him away from Denver's practice squad.[11](https://www.si.com/nfl/broncos/onsi/why-caleb-lohner-is-emerging-as-broncos-breakout-candidate) In his second preseason, Payton reported that Lohner "looks entirely different" and had even played scout-team outside linebacker for the defense when asked, showing a physicality that had been an open question for a former basketball player.[12](https://gazette.com/2026/05/09/broncos-te-caleb-lohner-looks-entirely-different-in-second-rookie-minicamp/)
## Playing style and evaluation
Lohner's profile rests on traits rather than production. At the Big 12 Pro Day he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.69 seconds, jumped 37 inches in the vertical, and covered 10 ft 7 in in the broad jump at 6 ft 7 in and roughly 250 pounds.[4](https://www.milehighreport.com/2025/6/11/24446813/broncos-roster-review-tight-end-caleb-lohner) Payton has described the evaluation as projection, noting that Graham entered the league with a similarly small college football sample (17 catches at Miami) and that late-round picks on basketball converts carry both upside and a steep learning curve.[10](https://www.nfl.com/news/broncos-sean-payton-sees-a-lot-to-work-with-after-drafting-collegiate-basketball-player-te-caleb-lohner) Teammate Adam Trautman said in 2025 that Lohner was "very curious" and asking the right questions despite having played little football.[13](https://www.si.com/nfl/broncos/onsi/news/sean-payton-caleb-lohner-progress-broncos-camp)
## References
1. [Caleb Lohner, Pro-Football-Reference.com](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LohnCa00.htm)
2. [Caleb Lohner biography, Denver Broncos](https://www.denverbroncos.com/team/players-roster/caleb-lohner-2/logs/)
3. [Caleb Lohner, 2024 Football Roster, University of Utah Athletics](https://utahutes.com/sports/football/roster/caleb-lohner/15599)
4. [Broncos roster review: Tight End Caleb Lohner, Mile High Report](https://www.milehighreport.com/2025/6/11/24446813/broncos-roster-review-tight-end-caleb-lohner)
5. [Broncos sign 16 players to practice squad, Denver Broncos](https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/broncos-sign-16-players-to-practice-squad)
6. [From basketball to football, Utah's Caleb Lohner remains intriguing asset at tight end, KSL.com](https://www.ksl.com/article/sports/utah-utes/from-basketball-to-football-utahs-caleb-lohner-remains-intriguing-asset-at-tight-end/51092649)
7. [Featuring the Runnin' Utes: Caleb Lohner, University of Utah Athletics](https://utahutes.com/news/2025/2/5/mens-basketball-featuring-the-runnin-utes-caleb-lohner.aspx)
8. [Grading Broncos' seventh-round selection of tight end Caleb Lohner, Sporting News](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/denver-broncos/news/grading-broncos-seventh-round-selection-tight-end-caleb-lohner/2982ea964d8b97263b9bbb77)
9. [Caleb Lohner, Men's Basketball Roster, University of Utah Athletics](https://utahutes.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/caleb-lohner/15512)
10. [Broncos' Sean Payton sees 'a lot to work with' after drafting collegiate basketball player, TE Caleb Lohner, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/news/broncos-sean-payton-sees-a-lot-to-work-with-after-drafting-collegiate-basketball-player-te-caleb-lohner)
11. [Why Caleb Lohner Is Emerging as Broncos Breakout Candidate, Sports Illustrated](https://www.si.com/nfl/broncos/onsi/why-caleb-lohner-is-emerging-as-broncos-breakout-candidate)
12. [Broncos TE Caleb Lohner looks 'entirely different' in second rookie minicamp, The Gazette](https://gazette.com/2026/05/09/broncos-te-caleb-lohner-looks-entirely-different-in-second-rookie-minicamp/)
13. [Payton Updates Progress of Broncos' Seventh-Round TE Caleb Lohner, Sports Illustrated](https://www.si.com/nfl/broncos/onsi/news/sean-payton-caleb-lohner-progress-broncos-camp)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Rugby and other football codes › American football players, coaches, and executives › Tight ends › Current NFL tight ends*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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