What seems like a long time ago, the Denver Broncos thought enough of wide receiver KJ Hamler to spend a 2nd round pick on him in the 2020 NFL draft.
While Hamler flashed some big-time potential as a rookie, that promise never materialized, and he was out after 3 seasons.
One recent highlight showed his career might still have some life.
Hamler, now playing for the UFL’s Orlando Storm, wowed with a 40-yard touchdown reception in a 29-27 win over the Louisville Kings over the weekend to improve the Storm to 3-0 on the season.
“NEEED another LOOK at KJ Hamler TUDDY,” the Storm wrote on its official X account.
Hamler finished with 3 receptions for 74 yards in the win. Through the 1st 3 games he has 8 receptions for 161 yards and 2 touchdowns.
“Hamler was given his pro start with the Broncos as a second-round selection (46th overall) in the 2020 NFL draft out of Penn State,” Broncos Wire’s Brandon Walker wrote. “In 23 pro games with Denver over three seasons (six starts), Hamler caught 42 passes for 620 yards and three touchdowns. Hamler’s signature moment as a Bronco was when he caught a game-winning touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers from then-quarterback Drew Lock in 2020.”
Hamler Went From Big Ten Star to Broncos
Hamler only played 2 seasons of college football at Penn State but was a 3-time All-Big Ten pick — twice as a wide receiver and once as a return specialist. He capped his time with the Nittany Lions with 56 receptions for 904 yards and 8 touchdowns in 2019.
NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein compared Hamler, 5-foot-9 and 178 pounds, to former NFL wide receiver Tavon Austin before the draft.
Hamler’s sub-4.40-second 40-yard dash made teams willing to overlook his size, and he wound up with a 4-year, $7.13 million rookie contract.
“Explosive slot target who hits the scales as a lightweight but could have heavyweight impact on games,” Zierlein wrote in his 2020 pre-draft evaluation. “Hamler’s blazing speed is used solo and in route combinations to stress secondaries and create big plays. He had an alarming number of drops in 2019 and the routes are ragged, but his athleticism and separation burst on all three levels helps mitigate those concerns. He’s a smallish slot who isn’t built for the tough yardage and could have durability concerns if he’s run into too many collisions. However, speed kills and his game-breaking potential on all three levels will be enticing as a high-risk, high-reward draft pick.”
Part of What Will Become Broncos’ ‘Forgotten Era’
Hamler came along at a truly miserable time in franchise history.
In his 3 seasons before he was released in 2023, the Broncos went 17-33 and he played for 3 different head coaches — Vic Fangio, Paul Hackett, and interim head coach Jerry Rosburg.
After his release, Hamler spent 2023 on the practice squad with the Indianapolis Colts, then spent 2024 on the practice squad for the Buffalo Bills before he was part of Buffalo’s final roster cuts in August 2025.
Hamler’s release was followed immediately by the start of head coach Sean Payton’s current era as Broncos head coach — 1 more losing season in 2023 followed by the franchise becoming 1 of the NFL’s elite teams again over the last 2 seasons.
Former Broncos 2nd Round Pick Wows With UFL Touchdown