UTES IN THE NFL DRAFT’S FIRST ROUND SINCE 2010

The University of Utah has ample alumni scattered throughout the professional sports landscape.

Football is certainly chief among them, with players being selected yearly.

With time moving as quickly as it does, it can be easy to forget all those who suited up for the U before being selected on draft night.

Since 2010, Utah’s three FBS schools (Utah, BYU, and Utah State) have seen an athlete or two go in the very first round of the NFL draft.

However, The Utes lead the charge with 4 players since 2010 to have their names called in round one.

Utah also boasts two first round selections in the last two drafts alone, for a consecutive punch in 2022 and 2023.

I’m here to remind you in the past 14 years who’s shook hands with Roger Goodell from the University of Utah.

2013

Defensive Tackle, Star Lotulelei is the first Ute to be selected in round one in the 2010’s and onward.

Taken by Carolina with the 14^th overall pick, Lotulelei would finish his rookie year 4^th in defensive rookie of the year voting.

Spending 8 years in the NFL, with Carolina and Buffalo, Lotulelei would start 115 of 119 games with 16.5 sacks, 36 tackles for loss, 194 total tackles, 2 fumble recoveries and an interception.

2017

Garrett Bolles, like Lotulelei, was a Snow College Badger who ended up at the U.

His career path as an offensive tackle took a big step in the right direction when the Denver Broncos selected him 20^th overall in 2017.

Bolles has remained with the team that took him 7 seasons ago, signing a 4 year, 68-million-dollar extension in 2020.

Despite an injury impacted 2022 season, Bolles has appeared in 99 games, starting all of them for the Broncos.

2022

Devin Lloyd tore it up at the Linebacker position for some incredibly stout Utah defenses in the early 2020’s.

His pursuits would land him in Jacksonville, going 27^th overall in 2022.

Two seasons in, Lloyd has started 30 games recorded 3 interceptions, 15 pass deflections, recovered 4 fumbles and tallied 242 tackles.

134 of those were solo pursuits, and two were for a loss.

Expect big things moving forward for the 25-year-old.

2023

Dalton Kincaid is the latest Ute to go in round one, and it happened as late as this last year.

Kincaid, a powerful leader for the Utes offense from the Tight End spot, would be taken by the Buffalo Bills with the 25^th overall pick.

Kincaid’s rookie year would start slowly, as Buffalo has Dawson Knox rooted in the starting spit at Tight End.

When given an opportunity however, Kincaid would shine.

Starting 11 games, Dalton would haul in 73 receptions for 673 yards and two touchdowns.

He would finish with the third most receiving yards for the Bills, and his 29 first downs would also place him in the three spot on the team.

The best football is still ahead for players like Kincaid and Lloyd, and Utah has more talent to provide the NFL with in the near future.