Devaughn Vele plans to leave Utah and pursue NFL in offseason
Following their fourth consecutive victory and another undefeated season at home, the Utah Utes are rolling and still very much in the conversation to compete for a Pac-12 Championship in December.
However, with just two regular season games remaining, the 2022 campaign is nearly complete which means eligible upperclassmen have begun making their decisions in regards to whether or not they'll be pursuing the NFL.
While the depth chart reads sophomore, wide receiver Devaughn Vele has been with Utah since 2019 and has decided it's in his best interest to move on and pursue the league this offseason. Not that he necessarily wants to, but the fact that he's 24 years old has led him to believe that it's time to move forward.
“That’s the plan right now," Vele said in regards to whether or not he would be leaving and pursuing the NFL. "It’s not an eligibility issue, it’s more so my age. With me going on a mission, I am a little bit older than a lot of the other guys. They have me as a sophomore, but I’m 24 years old, so time is against me. I want a good shot at the NFL. I think this is the most opportune time to accomplish that."
With his intent to pursue the league, Vele joins quarterback Cameron Rising as one of several underclassmen to confirm their intent to advance to the NFL this offseason.
Currently, Vele has 546 yards and five touchdowns on 44 receptions (12.4 yards per catch) this season.
Similarly to Rising, the question for Vele is not whether or not he can play, but has he attracted enough attention from NFL scouts to secure an opportunity. While it may be obvious to those who have watched Vele that he has what it takes to play in the league, scouts have to assess hundreds of players which means some talented prospects can be overlooked.
One would assume based off his comments that Vele will seriously consider coming back if another year would give him a better shot.
“It’s not set in stone, I’m trying to play the cards, see what I’m dealt. Obviously, if things point to me staying another year, I’ll stay another year, but I feel like it’s in my best interest to move on. We’ll see what’s in store for me," Vele said.
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