Pictured here during training camp, Houston defensive tackle Junior Tafuna (53, right) is one of six Utah Football alumni beginning their rookie season in the NFL.
Photo by: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Utes in the Pros: Preseason Week 1
8/7/2025 1:35 PM | Football
Thirty-two Utah Football alumni take first steps toward 2025 season
SALT LAKE CITY – The NFL's preseason begins Thursday night and a total of 32 Utah Football alumni are on active rosters entering Week 1 of the three-week schedule leading up to regular season kickoff.
Six rookies from Utah are beginning their professional journeys; that group includes tight end Caleb Lohner (Denver), linebacker Connor O'Toole (Seattle), linebacker Karene Reid (Denver), wide receiver Dorian Singer (Jacksonville), defensive tackle Junior Tafuna (Houston) and cornerback Zemaiah Vaughn (Minnesota).
How to watch the Utes this week
Preseason Week 1 Viewing Guide (players on active rosters)
Though Thursday begins the first full slate of preseason games, action kicked off last week with the annual Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. Former Utes Tim Patrick and Sione Vaki were on Detroit's active roster for the matchup but did not play.
Clubs have until August 26 to reduce rosters to 53 players.
UTES IN THE NFL (32)
Updated 8.7.25
Offensive Line (4)
Jackson Barton.......................... Cleveland
Garett Bolles................................. Denver
Braeden Daniels............................. Miami
Sataoa Laumea............................... Seattle
Quarterbacks (1)
Tyler Huntley............................ Cleveland
Running Backs (1)
Sione Vaki..................................... Detroit
Wide Receivers (4)
Britain Covey............................. LA Rams
Tim Patrick.................................... Detroit
Dorian Singer......................... Jacksonville
Devaughn Vele.............................. Denver
Tight Ends (4)
Cole Fotheringham............... New England
Dalton Kincaid.............................. Buffalo
Caleb Lohner................................. Denver
Thomas Yassmin................... LA Chargers
Defensive Line (3)
Bradlee Anae....................... San Francisco
Leki Fotu.................................. Las Vegas
Junior Tafuna............................... Houston
Linebackers (7)
Cody Barton............................. Tennessee
Mohamoud Diabate................... Cleveland
Jonah Elliss................................... Denver
Devin Lloyd........................... Jacksonville
Connor O'Toole............................. Seattle
Karene Reid.................................. Denver
Nephi Sewell........................ New Orleans
Defensive Backs (7)
Miles Battle.......................... New England
Cole Bishop.................................. Buffalo
Julian Blackmon................... New Orleans
Terrell Burgess...................... New Orleans
Jaylon Johnson............................. Chicago
Clark Phillips III............................ Atlanta
Zemaiah Vaughn....................... Minnesota
Special Teams (1)
Matt Gay (K).......................... Washington
FOLLOW THE UTES
Follow the Utes on social media through Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok along with visiting www.UtahUtes.com. Download the Utah 360 app here.
Six rookies from Utah are beginning their professional journeys; that group includes tight end Caleb Lohner (Denver), linebacker Connor O'Toole (Seattle), linebacker Karene Reid (Denver), wide receiver Dorian Singer (Jacksonville), defensive tackle Junior Tafuna (Houston) and cornerback Zemaiah Vaughn (Minnesota).
How to watch the Utes this week
Preseason Week 1 Viewing Guide (players on active rosters)
| Day | Game | Time (MT) | TV | Pro Utes |
| Thu., Aug. 7 | Las Vegas at Seattle | 8 p.m. | NFL Network | #95 Leki Fotu (Las Vegas) #63 Sataoa Laumea (Seattle) #57 Connor O'Toole (Seattle) |
| Fri., Aug. 8 | Detroit at Atlanta | 5 p.m. | Local | #12 Tim Patrick (Detroit) #33 Sione Vaki (Detroit) #22 Clark Phillips III (Atlanta) |
| Fri., Aug. 8 | Cleveland at Carolina | 5 p.m. | NFL Network | #68 Jackson Barton (Cleveland) #43 Mohamoud Diabate (Cleveland) #7 Tyler Huntley (Cleveland) |
| Fri., Aug. 8 | Washington at New England | 5:30 p.m. | Local | #16 Matt Gay (Washington) #35 Miles Battle (New England) #49 Cole Fotheringham (New England) |
| Sat., Aug. 9 | NY Giants at Buffalo | 11 a.m. | NFL Network | #24 Cole Bishop (Buffalo) #86 Dalton Kincaid (Buffalo) |
| Sat., Aug. 9 | Houston at Minnesota | 2 p.m. | NFL Network | #53 Junior Tafuna (Houston) #34 Zemaiah Vaughn (Minnesota) |
| Sat., Aug. 9 | Pittsburgh at Jacksonville | 5 p.m. | Local | #0 Devin Lloyd (Jacksonville) #13 Dorian Singer (Jacksonville) |
| Sat., Aug. 9 | Dallas at LA Rams | 5 p.m. | Local | #10 Britain Covey (LA Rams) |
| Sat., Aug. 9 | Tennessee at Tampa Bay | 5:30 p.m. | Local | #50 Cody Barton (Tennessee) |
| Sat., Aug. 9 | Denver at San Francisco | 6:30 p.m. | Local | #72 Garett Bolles (Denver) #52 Jonah Elliss (Denver) #84 Caleb Lohner (Denver) #47 Karene Reid (Denver) #17 Devaughn Vele (Denver) #69 Bradlee Anae (SF) |
| Sun., Aug. 10 | Miami at Chicago | 11 a.m. | NFL Network | #66 Braeden Daniels (Miami) #1 Jaylon Johnson (Chicago) |
| Sun., Aug. 10 | New Orleans at LA Chargers | 2:05 p.m. | NFL Network | #28 Julian Blackmon (New Orleans) #24 Terrell Burgess (New Orleans) #45 Nephi Sewell (New Orleans) #86 Thomas Yassmin (LA Chargers) |
Though Thursday begins the first full slate of preseason games, action kicked off last week with the annual Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. Former Utes Tim Patrick and Sione Vaki were on Detroit's active roster for the matchup but did not play.
Clubs have until August 26 to reduce rosters to 53 players.
UTES IN THE NFL (32)
Updated 8.7.25
Offensive Line (4)
Jackson Barton.......................... Cleveland
Garett Bolles................................. Denver
Braeden Daniels............................. Miami
Sataoa Laumea............................... Seattle
Quarterbacks (1)
Tyler Huntley............................ Cleveland
Running Backs (1)
Sione Vaki..................................... Detroit
Wide Receivers (4)
Britain Covey............................. LA Rams
Tim Patrick.................................... Detroit
Dorian Singer......................... Jacksonville
Devaughn Vele.............................. Denver
Tight Ends (4)
Cole Fotheringham............... New England
Dalton Kincaid.............................. Buffalo
Caleb Lohner................................. Denver
Thomas Yassmin................... LA Chargers
Defensive Line (3)
Bradlee Anae....................... San Francisco
Leki Fotu.................................. Las Vegas
Junior Tafuna............................... Houston
Linebackers (7)
Cody Barton............................. Tennessee
Mohamoud Diabate................... Cleveland
Jonah Elliss................................... Denver
Devin Lloyd........................... Jacksonville
Connor O'Toole............................. Seattle
Karene Reid.................................. Denver
Nephi Sewell........................ New Orleans
Defensive Backs (7)
Miles Battle.......................... New England
Cole Bishop.................................. Buffalo
Julian Blackmon................... New Orleans
Terrell Burgess...................... New Orleans
Jaylon Johnson............................. Chicago
Clark Phillips III............................ Atlanta
Zemaiah Vaughn....................... Minnesota
Special Teams (1)
Matt Gay (K).......................... Washington
FOLLOW THE UTES
Follow the Utes on social media through Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok along with visiting www.UtahUtes.com. Download the Utah 360 app here.
Players Mentioned
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