LARAMIE — Three former Wyoming Cowboy football players will take the next step toward professional careers after earning invites to NFL Rookie Minicamps, while linebacker Connor Shay added another accolade by being selected in the first round of the Canadian Football League Draft.
Safety Wyett Ekeler, kicker John Hoyland, and Shay each accepted invitations to attend a pair of rookie camps following the conclusion of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Ekeler, a standout safety, will attend minicamps with both the Philadelphia Eagles and the Denver Broncos. Over his career, he played in 48 games and totaled 197 tackles. Despite battling through injuries in 2024, including playing with casts on both hands due to broken thumbs, Ekeler recorded 46 tackles, one interception, and a tackle for loss in his final season. As a junior, he posted 77 tackles and two interceptions. He had two sacks in a game against New Mexico that earned him Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week honors. He forced three fumbles over the course of his career.
University of Wyoming sports coverage in Southwest Wyoming is supported by these great sponsors:
Hoyland, one of the most consistent kickers in Wyoming history, will attend rookie camps with the Baltimore Ravens and the Denver Broncos. A three-time All-Mountain West selection, Hoyland earned Honorable Mention honors in 2024. He converted 15-of-19 field goals that season, going a near-perfect 14-of-15 inside 50 yards and 7-of-7 inside 40 yards. He nailed a season-long 54-yard field goal against Boise State and hit from 49 yards at Colorado State. After going 3-for-3 against Washington State, he was named Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week. Hoyland leaves Wyoming as the program’s all-time leader in field goals made (73) and career points scored (366), ranking third all-time in Mountain West history for field goals.
Shay, who will attend rookie minicamps with the Green Bay Packers and New York Jets, was also selected sixth overall by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the first round of the CFL Draft on Tuesday. The dual citizen from Canada appeared in 49 career games at Wyoming, finishing with 97 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. Shay’s breakout season came in 2024 when he posted 76 tackles, including a career-high 12 against Colorado State. He capped off his collegiate career with 1.5 sacks in his final game against Washington State.
