The University of Utah has been a dominant force in many sports and conferences throughout its prestigious past. From football to basketball to many other sports, numerous Utes are representing their alma mater on the biggest stages in sports. Let’s take a look at some of the best Utes and assess how they are performing in the pros.
To start, we will go to the NFL. This year, there was one Ute drafted, TE Caleb Lohner, who was taken in the seventh round of the draft by the Broncos. A notable current player is Dalton Kincaid, with 1,121 yards on 117 receptions with 4 touchdowns for the Bills. Julian Blackmon has been a great safety for the Indianapolis Colts. He tallied 62 solo tackles and 3 interceptions in the 2024-25 season, and will be a lock-in starter next year. Currently, 28 former Utes play in the NFL.
Now, looking at the NBA, there are a few notable players we can take a look at. Branden Carlson, former big man for the Runnin’ Utes, signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the offseason. Carlson played in games during the regular season and scored a season-high 26 points against the Pelicans. Another notable Utah alum is Kyle Kuzma, who got traded to the Milwaukee Bucks midseason. Kuzma averaged 14.8 points with 5.7 rebounds. The Bucks would end up taking a loss in the first round, as well as suffering an injury to guard Damian Lillard, but Kuzma’s season was a success. Other current NBA players include Delon Wright with the New York Knicks and Jakob Poeltl with the Toronto Raptors. The Utes basketball roster now includes former Dallas Mavericks Assistant Coach Alex Jensen.
In the WNBA, former Ute Alissa Pili was selected seventh in the WNBA draft last year by the Minnesota Lynx. While she has not received much playing time, she is expected to be utilized much more in upcoming seasons.
The U continues to produce world-class athletes who excel in the collegiate and professional leagues. As we watch these former Utes thrive under consistent pressure, we can look forward to more alumni making a mark in pro leagues around the world.
l.skinner@dailyutahchronicle.com
The post Dorms to the League: Former Utes in Professional Sports first appeared on The Daily Utah Chronicle.