“There were a lot of things going on in my life at that time. I was trying to figure out what I was going to do with my life especially when it came to football.” Words of a star wide receiver who racked up 980 yards and 11 TDs in his senior high school season. And honestly, can you blame him? Because when DeVaughn Vele looked up for college offers after that standout season – shockingly, there were none!

But hey, don’t think of this as the end of his story. Instead, it was a beginning for a young talent. Although his age may mislead you, he’s still a rookie. The 27-year-old entered the NFL with a collegiate career built on self-belief and faith and signed his 4-year rookie contract with the Denver Broncos worth over $4 million. Despite a career break after a standout senior high school season, Vele stayed positive and we can say he inherited this positive attitude from his parents.

Who are Afagalia and Efaraima?

Standing at 6’4” and weighing over 200 pounds, the wide receiver for the Denver Broncos is the son of Afagalia Vele, his mother, and Efaraima Jr. Mom, Afagalia raised her son as a single mother. The wideout was a gifted athlete ever since his childhood and had interests in basketball, baseball, and volleyball. But if we’re being real, there was something about football that got him fired up. You could say it gave him that extra kick like it was his true passion.

Born in Indianapolis, Vele led his high school team to their first state championship title back in 2015. Moving forward, the young number 17 was later adopted by Efaraima Jr. However, despite being the parents of an NFL rookie, Mom Afagalia and Dad Efaraima Jr. maintain a low profile and prefer to stay away from the limelight.

Fast forward to 2024, the 27-year-old rookie from Indiana is of Samoan descent and is married to Tymane Vele. And just like his father and mother, Vele also prefers to keep a low profile, and his absence from social media is true evidence of it.

How has DeVaughn Vele’s faith in God transformed his life?

There’s something that Vele’s whole journey is built on—faith! And trust me, that’s where the real magic happens. “There was a lot of prayer. A lot of fasting,” Vele stated after not getting offers from any college. And as it appears, faith became the definition of his life.

After graduating from Rancho Bernardo High School, Vele chose to go on a two-year mission for the LDS church, serving in his ancestral homeland of Samoa. And that’s how he carved a path towards a faithful life for himself. “It helped me find myself and mature as a person,” he said. Upon returning, Vele showed his skills, determination, and hard work, and tried out for the University of Utah.

And from that moment on, he never looked back. In his last season for the Utah Utes, he caught 43 catches for 593 yards and racked up 3 TDs before declaring for the 2024 NFL draft. All thanks to the support of his parent and his faith, DeVaughn Vele went on to score his first career TD against the Chiefs in week 10. Rookie season for a 27-year-old, sure, but there are still many more to come.