AROUND THE SHIELD — Dallin Holker didn’t play an extra COVID-eligible season of college football like many of his teammates who declared for the 2024 NFL Draft, but he did serve a two-year mission for his church in Chile, so he knows a thing or two about what it’s like to be a senior trying to make the NFL roster.
The difficulties became even worse when he went undrafted in April. But Holker, the former Lehi High star who enrolled in the NFL from Colorado State after three years at BYU, never gave up hope for his dream.
This week, his dream became a reality when the 6-foot-4, 235-pound tight end was named to the New Orleans Saints’ initial 53-man roster.
As one Colorado newspaper put it, “Miracles really do happen.”
“I think that says a lot about the organization, too. They’re going to take the guys they need and the guys they want, whether they get drafted or not,” Holker said from his Saints locker. “I think it’s pretty cool to see that.”
The extra years of college, previously made possible by the 2020 COVID-19 season and now keeping some borderline draft prospects at school through name, image and likeness payments, can benefit a franchise. Holker hopes his extra years of maturity — at least through his mission to the people of Vina del Mar, Chile — can benefit the Saints as well.
“It helps the guys mature a little bit,” said Holker, who set a Colorado State record with six touchdown receptions in 2023 and was selected to the All-America second team. “I’m 24 years old and with this mission, I could have played two more years. But I feel like these two years help tremendously. I feel a lot more mature and wiser. I think it helps tremendously.”
With all 32 teams in the league assembling practice squads of up to 15 players every Wednesday, here’s a look at the 54 players from Utah’s high school and college football programs who are on the roster, as well as those who have been called up to the practice squads.
Training squads
- Jackson Barton, OL, Utah/Brighton – Arizona Cardinals
- Winston Reid, LB, Weber State/Copper Hills – Cleveland Browns
- Thomas Yassmin, TE, Utah – Denver Broncos (via NFL international player exemption)
- Marquise Blair, S, Utah – Seattle Seahawks
- Jonah Williams, DE, Weber State – Minnesota Vikings
- Tim Patrick, WR, Utah – Detroit Lions, according to NFL.com
- Max Tooley, LB, BYU/Bountiful – Houston Texans, according to the Houston Chronicle
- Gabe Jeudy-Lally, CB, BYU (via Tennessee) – Tennessee Titans
- Jalen Davis, CB, Utah State – Cincinnati Bengals, according to WLWT
BYU players on active roster (15)
- Tyler Allgeier, RB – Atlanta Falcons
- Zayne Anderson, S (Stansbury) – Green Bay Packers
- Brady Christensen, OG (Bountiful) – Carolina Panthers
- Michael Davis, CB — Washington Commanders
- Blake Freeland, OT (Herriman) – Indianapolis Colts
- Jaren Hall, QB (Maple Mountain) – Minnesota Vikings
- Taysom Hill, TE/QB – New Orleans Saints
- Kyle Van Noy, LB – Baltimore Ravens
- Puka Nacua, WR (Orem from Washington) – Los Angeles Rams
- Ryan Rehkow, P-Cincinnati Bengals
- Kingsley Suamataia, OT – Kansas City Chiefs
- Khyiris Tonga, DT (Granger) – Arizona Cardinals
- Fred Warner, LB – San Francisco 49ers
- Jamaal Williams, RB – New Orleans Saints
- Zach Wilson, QB (Corner Canyon) – Denver Broncos
- Sione Takitaki, LB – New England Patriots (reserved/physically disabled list)*
Players from Southern Utah on the active roster (3)
- Braxton Jones, OT (Murray) – Chicago Bears
- Miles Killebrew, S – Pittsburgh Steelers
- Tanner McLachlan, TE (via Arizona) – Cincinnati Bengals
Utah players on active roster (19)
- Cody Barton, LB (Brighton) – Denver Broncos
- Cole Bishop, S-Buffalo Bills
- Julian Blackmon, S (Layton) – Indianapolis Colts
- Garett Bolles, OT (Westlake via Snow College) – Denver Broncos
- Britain Covey, WR/RS (Timpview) – Philadelphia Eagles
- Mohamoud Diabate, LB – Cleveland Browns
- Jonah Elliss, OLB – Denver Broncos
- Matt Gay, K (Orem via Utah Valley) – Indianapolis Colts
- Tyler Huntley, QB – Cleveland Browns
- Jaylon Johnson, CB – Chicago Bears
- Dalton Kincaid, TE – Buffalo Bills
- Sataoa Laumea, OG – Seattle Seahawks
- Devin Lloyd, LB – Jacksonville Jaguars
- Zack Moss, RB – Cincinnati Bengals
- Clark Phillips III, CB – Atlanta Falcons
- Sione Vaki, RB – Detroit Lions
- Devaughn Vele, WR – Denver Broncos
- Marcus Williams, S – Baltimore Ravens
- Mitch Wishnowsky, P – San Francisco 49ers
- Nephi Sewell, LB (Desert Hills) – New Orleans Saints (reserve/physically disabled list)*
- Terrell Burgess, S – Buffalo Bills (placed on reserve/injured list)*
- Leki Fotu, DT (Herriman) – New York Jets (placed on reserve/injured list)*
Utah State players on active roster (4)
- Jordan Love, QB – Green Bay Packers
- Patrick Scales, LS (Weber) – Chicago Bears
- Bobby Wagner, MLB – Washington Commanders
- Jaylen Warren, RB (East via Snow College) – Pittsburgh Steelers
Weber State players on active roster (2)
- Taron Johnson, CB – Buffalo Bills
- Rashid Shaheed, WR/RS – New Orleans Saints
- Sua Opeta, OG (Stansbury) – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (placed on reserve/injured list)*
Other former high school football players from Utah on the active roster (11)
- Dallin Holker, TE, (Lehi via Colorado State) – New Orleans Saints
- Kaden Elliss, LB, Judge Memorial (via Idaho) – Atlanta Falcons
- Simi Fehoko, WR, Brighton (via Stanford) – Los Angeles Chargers
- Alohi Gilman, S, Orem (via Kahuku High and Notre Dame) – Los Angeles Chargers
- Andre James, C, Herriman (via UCLA) – Las Vegas Raiders
- Jackson Powers-Johnson, OG, Corner Canyon (via Oregon) – Las Vegas Raiders
- Dalton Schultz, TE, Bingham (via Stanford) – Houston Texans
- Noah Sewell, LB, Orem (via Oregon) – Chicago Bears
- Penei Sewell, OT, Desert Hills (via Oregon) – Detroit Lions
- Taki Taimani, DL, East (via Oregon) – Minnesota Vikings
- Jay Tufele, DT, Bingham (via USC) – Cincinnati Bengals