Sean Payton is hoping TE Caleb Lohner will be his next Jimmy Graham

Good Morning Broncos Country!

Good Morning, Broncos Country!

With their final pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos selected Utah tight end Caleb Lohner in the 7th round. He is a bit of a project, though, since he has just played one year of football, caught just four passes (all of which were touchdowns), and is transitioning from basketball to football.

He is a bit of a project considering his overall lack of experience, but the size, athleticism, and untapped potential are obvious. While it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison, Payton and the Broncos are hoping they’ve found the next Jimmy Graham here in Caleb Lohner.

“It’s hard, 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. Now in Jimmy’s case, there was a lot more. He was a Combine invite. We’re late in this draft, and you’re rooting for some guys and you see upsides in 6’7”, 245 pounds. You can see the basketball skill set, that’s easy, at a high level. Then you’re looking at a small amount of playing time, and yet enough to where you’re watching them. I think the other thing that helped was watching him at the Big 12 Pro Day. There were just a few plays where you see movement skills, and it’s a lot to work with. If it turns out like the last one did, then we’d be really excited”.

Comparing Lohner to Graham is a bit unfair, but it will be hard to avoid considering the backgrounds, what positions they play, and their connection to Sean Payton. Payton does mention Lohner’s size and how his basketball background is obvious on the field. He has the ability to box out defenders and use his size and athleticism to get the ball at its highest point and show the potential he has in the red zone.

Not only does Lohner have red zone upside, but he is also a fluid athlete who can run routes and moves well in space. Payton mentioned how this stood out to him when watching his limited tape and while he worked out during the Big 12 Pro Day.

Coming back to the Jimmy Graham comparison, Payton referenced him again when he said, “If it(Lohner) turns out like the last one did (Graham), then we’d be really excited”.

Yes. Yes, we would be very excited.

Lohner’s development will be one of the more intriguing stories to follow throughout the remainder of the offseason and into training camp and the preseason. Hopefully, the Broncos found a hidden gem here, and he can contribute to the Broncos sooner rather than later.

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