Denver Broncos select Utah wide receiver DeVaughn Vele with the 235th overall pick in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft
Denver Broncos select Utah wide receiver DeVaughn Vele with the 235th overall pick in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft
Broncos with No. 235 pick in 7th round (received earlier today in Troy Franklin swap with Seattle) select Utah WR Devaughn Vele. #9sports
— MikeKlis9NEWS (@mikeklis9news) April 27, 2024
DeVaughn Vele is an older rookie at 26 years old, but he is a 6-4, 203-pound wide receiver with 4.47 speed and 36-inch vertical. So, despite the age, you take a shot on the talent and it’s the seventh round, so it is worth the gamble.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler has Vele ranked as his 40th overall wide receiver in the draft and had a priority free agent grade on him.
A three-year starter at Utah, Vele worked primarily as the Z receiver in offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig’s scheme and saw snaps both inside and outside. After originally serving a church mission out of high school, he walked on with the Utes and grew into the team’s top receiving option. Vele is an older prospect, and with that comes a player who has a better understanding of releases and routes, although he needs improved tempo to mix things up. He tends to rely on his body too much to finish throws at him, but he also puts his long arms to good use and shows an expanded catch radius downfield. Overall, Vele will have trouble creating quick pockets of separation versus NFL coverage, but he can stretch the field vertically and has rangy ball skills that won’t force the quarterback to be pinpoint accurate. He is a potential WR4/5 and adds some return ability.
This seems like a special teams move for me. The Broncos have a crowded wide receiver room and now have drafted two receivers and the ones that can contribute on special teams will have an edge at making the 53-man roster.
Drafting a 26-year-old rookie is a risk but they clearly have a vision for him and I am curious at what that is.