Dallen Bentley’s unconventional football path landed him in the NFL draft.

The former University of Utah tight end was selected by the Denver Broncos in the seventh round with the No. 256 overall pick of the 2026 NFL draft Saturday.

Last year, the Broncos also drafted a Ute tight end, Caleb Lohner, who joined the Utah football team for one season after previously playing college basketball.

“When run blocking, he plays with good technique, though he is not going to move defenders; he neutralizes and redirects. He can absorb contact at the point of attack from blitzing ‘backers and hold his ground. Overall, he sustains blocks well for a tight end but needs to play with a nastier demeanor,” Scouts Inc. wrote in assessing Bentley for ESPN.

“Bentley is a functional pass catcher — a good intermediate target. He does not display explosive burst and acceleration, as he is more of a build-to-speed target. He plays with good balance, showing the ability to contort and make catches outside the framework of his body.”

Bentley (6-foot-4, 253 pounds) is a Taylorsville High who walked on at Snow College after suffering a season-ending injury his senior year of high school. After spending time in Ephraim, he transferred to Utah in 2023, where he was largely used as a blocking tight end before becoming a pass-catching target this past season.

One year of receiving production at Utah helped get him drafted, though, as he caught 48 passes for 620 yards and six touchdowns. As a result, Bentley was a third-team All-Big 12 selection.

“Bentley needs to become a more disciplined blocker to be trusted on a pro field, but his size-speed traits and pass-catching talent are potential assets for an NFL team,” The Athletic’s Dane Brugler wrote in previewing the NFL draft.