NFL CAREER – Vele enters his third NFL season and second with the Black and Gold after originally being selected by the Denver Broncos in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft (235th overall). In two seasons with Denver (2024) and New Orleans (2025), the Southern California native has appeared in 26 games with 14 starts, recording 66 receptions for 768 yards (club-best 11.7 avg.) and five touchdowns. After being acquired in a trade during the final week of the 2025 preseason, the crafty wideout will look to continue building upon the chemistry built with second-year QB Tyler Shough in 2026.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS – Placed by the New Orleans Saints on Injured Reserve (shoulder), 12/19/25; Acquired by New Orleans from the Denver Broncos in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round pick and 2027 seventh-round draft selection, 8/20/25; Signed to a four year contract by Denver, 5/10/24; Selected by Denver in the seventh round (235th overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft.
2025 – Played in 13 games with seven starts in his first season as a Saint, finishing with 25 catches for 293 yards (11.7 avg.) with two touchdowns…Made his Saints debut in opener vs. Arizona, Sept. 7, finishing with one catch for 13 yards…Made his first start as a Saint vs. San Francisco, Sept. 14, finishing with one catch for a three-yard TD, his first with the Black and Gold…Inactive (hip) at Seattle, Sept. 21…Rotated in on offense and caught two passes against the New York Giants, Oct. 5…Started and recorded one reception for ten yards vs. Tampa Bay, Oct. 26…Started and recorded one catch for 15 yards at Carolina, Nov. 9…Started and finished with three catches for 37 yards vs. Atlanta, Nov. 23…Started and played on special teams at Miami, Nov. 30, catching eight passes for 93 yards (both career-highs) and a TD. Recovered an onside kick to put New Orleans in a position to give Saints one final drive…Rotated in on offense in 25th career game and finished with three grabs for 40 yards at Tampa Bay, Dec. 7…Started and recorded five catches for 69 yards before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury vs. Carolina, Dec. 14. 2024 – Appeared in 13 games with seven starts for Denver in his rookie year and recorded 41 receptions for 475 yards with three touchdowns…Recorded eight receptions for 39 yards in Week One, which led all receivers in catches, at Seattle, Sept. 8…Injured his ribs against Seattle and did not return until Week Six…Caught four balls for 78 yards in first game back vs Los Angeles Chargers, Oct. 13…Four receptions on four targets for 39 yards and first NFL TD at Kansas City, Nov. 10…Posted six catches for 80 yards, at Las Vegas, Nov. 24…Recorded his second TD on the season while grabbing two receptions for 21 yards at Chargers, Dec. 19…Tallied four catches for 50 yards and a TD vs. Kansas City, 1/5/25.
COLLEGE – Appeared in 47 games (28 starts) over five seasons at Utah (2019-23), recording 123 catches for 1,689 yards (13.7 avg.) with nine touchdowns...Started nine-of-ten games played in 2023, recording a team-high 43 receptions for 593 yards (13.8 avg.) with three touchdowns. Also added one kick return for 21 yards and completed one-of-three pass attempts for six yards...Recorded a career-high 145 receiving yards on five catches, including a career-long 68-yard reception, at Washington (11/11)...Named Pac-12 All-Conference honorable mention in 2022 after starting 12-of-14 games played, ranking second on team in receptions (55) and receiving yards (695) along with five TDs. Also returned 26 punts for 246 yards (9.5 avg.). Made at least three receptions in ten of Utah's 14 games...Notched the first 100-yard performance of his career after recording five receptions for 100 yards vs. Penn State in Rose Bowl (1/2/23)…Appeared in all 14 games in 2021, making seven starts. Totaled two special teams tackles and 23 catches for 289 yards with one touchdown...Recorded two receptions for 33 yards vs. Ohio State in Rose Bowl (1/1/22)...Earned a scholarship in 2020 and played in all five games during the COVID-19 shortened season. Recorded two catches for 12 yards…Joined the Utes as a walk-on before redshirting the 2019 season, when he appeared in four games and made his first career start vs. Colorado (11/30) in the regular-season finale. Recorded one special teams tackle…Graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications.
PERSONAL – A dual sport athlete at Rancho Bernardo (San Diego, Calif.) HS, playing football and basketball…Caught 52 passes for 980 yards (18.8 avg.) with 11 touchdowns as senior and completed his only pass attempt for a 45-yard TD…Helped lead Rancho Bernado to the California Division III-A state title as a junior in 2015, recording 126 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in the state title game…Was invited to the 2016 Polynesian All-American Bowl…Named to the 2015 first-team Cal-Hi Sports all-state all-academic and San Diego Union Tribune All-Academic team…Also named 2016 National Football Foundation San Diego Chapter Scholar-Leader-Athlete Award…Served an LDS church mission in Samoa…In April attended a "Business of Food" event sponsored by Mike's Amazing, where he met with 30 students from the Tulane University School of Business…Name is pronounced deh-vawn veh-lay…Born In Indianapolis, Ind. on Dec. 12, 1997.
