When you’re done with your schooling, what’s the first thing you think about doing? For most of us, it’s probably going to college. Don’t we all prepare for it while we’re still in school? But you know how there’s always someone who stands out from the crowd, choosing a completely different path? That’s the story of Broncos WR Devaughn Vele, who chose a different life for himself after high school. And no, it wasn’t the football path. I mean, you’d know it’s almost impossible to make it to the NFL without playing college football. It’s very rare. So, what path did he take? Well, it’s more around his ethnicity rather than college!

What is DeVaughn Vele’s ethnicity?

Soon after finishing his high school football career when he was 19 with͏͏ 11͏͏ TDs to his name and͏͏ racking͏͏ for͏͏ 980͏͏ yards,͏͏ Devaughn͏͏ Vele͏͏ chose to go on͏͏ a LDS͏͏ mission.͏͏ A mission where the͏͏ Church͏͏ of͏͏ Jesus͏͏ Christ͏͏ of͏͏ Latter-day͏͏ Saints͏͏ took͏͏ him back͏͏ to͏͏ his͏͏ home͏͏ in͏͏ Samoa.͏͏ The WR spent͏͏ the͏͏ next͏͏ two͏͏ years͏͏ learning͏͏ more about͏͏ his͏͏ culture,͏͏ and͏͏ language,͏͏ and͏͏, ͏͏doing͏͏ the͏͏ work͏͏ the͏͏ church͏͏ had͏͏ him͏͏ there͏͏ for. “It͏͏ was͏͏ amazing.͏͏ I͏͏ loved͏͏ it.͏͏ I’m͏͏ Samoan͏͏ myself͏͏ so͏͏ it͏͏ was͏͏ basically͏͏ like͏͏ going͏͏ back͏͏ home.͏͏ I͏͏ got͏͏ to͏͏ learn͏͏ the͏͏ language,͏͏ the͏͏ culture.͏͏ It͏͏ was͏͏ two͏͏ years͏͏ that͏͏ I͏͏ wouldn’t͏͏ give͏͏ back”,͏͏ recalled͏͏ the Broncos WR.

DeVaughn Vele has Samoan roots. After͏͏ coming back from his church͏͏ mission,͏͏ the now WR decided to jump back into football. He knew͏͏ it͏͏ was going to be difficult,͏͏ as he͏͏ hadn’t͏͏ even͏͏ touched͏͏ the ball͏͏ in͏͏ two͏͏ years,͏͏ let͏͏ alone͏͏ played. “It͏͏ was͏͏ hard͏͏ at͏͏ first.͏͏ The͏͏ mission͏͏ legs͏͏ were͏͏ coming͏͏ in”, shared͏͏ Vele.͏͏ But the Utah alum was set on his goals. In 2016, he walked onto the field for the Utah Utes (totally ready to dive in). In 2021, he snagged a scholarship from the college. Then, in the 2022 season, DeVaughn scored five touchdowns and piled up 595 yards.

What is DeVaughn’s nationality?

Devaughn͏͏ Vele͏͏ was͏͏ born͏͏ in͏͏ the͏͏ U.S.͏͏ state͏͏ of͏͏ Indianapolis and went to high school in California. Vele’s never really talked about his nationality, but since he grew up in the U.S., we’re guessing he’s an American citizen. The Utah alum had the chance to enter the NFL draft in 2023, but he chose to play one more year with the Utah Utes. Then, this year, the 27-year-old went for the draft and was signed by the͏͏ Denver͏͏ Broncos.

You know, most people aim to make their NFL debut right out of college, usually in their early 20s. But Vele made his debut at 27, which added some pressure. Because of his age, he couldn’t view his debut year the same way other rookies do. Right now, DeVaughn is playing as the second WR for the Broncos, backing up the starting wide receiver, Courtland Sutton. The Utah Alum had his first NFL touchdown against Patrick Mahomes’Chiefs in week 10. Although, the Broncos lost that game to the Chiefs (16-14). But you know what they say. The first ones are always special. Vele will next be playing against the Chargers, the showdown that will be on your screens in just a few hours!