Denver Broncos wide receiver Tim Patrick quietly changed his jersey number from No. 81 to No. 12 last season. No. 81 is now worn by rookie Devaughn Vele, and some fans might not immediately notice it’s a different player wearing the number when training camp begins later this summer.
Vele (6-4, 210 pounds) is a similar size and profile to Patrick (6-4, 212 pounds), and he also played college football at Utah. Patrick went undrafted 2017. Vele was a seventh-round pick in 2024.
The rookie was asked about being compared to Patrick during rookie minicamp last month.
“I’ve heard things even while at Utah,” Vele said on May 11. “[He’s] a great player, and I try to model my game after all of the greats. It’s good to have someone that I can look up to and get under his wing.”
Even Broncos coach Sean Payton has made the comparison.
“We like to say a good comp, but there are some traits you see from him that I think Tim Patrick has,” Payton said. “When you look at their size and where they can align — and I’m just talking about traits. He has good instincts, and he has really, really good ball skills.”
In his final two seasons with the Utes, Vele hauled in 98 receptions for 1,288 yards and eight touchdowns. Denver has a crowded wide receiver room, so it might be tough for Vele to make the active roster as a rookie, but he’ll get a chance to compete for a spot this summer.
