When Lucas Krull took the mound as a 16-year-old and threw a fastball 90 miles per hour left-handed, it created disbelief.
But when he walked behind the mound four years later, he shook his head and murmured to himself, “I can’t believe I am still doing this.”
Krull had reached a crossroads in his athletic career, a journey that now is worthy of a movie. Talking with Krull after Broncos practice on a sweltering Thursday, it becomes obvious that he is easier to appreciate than explain.
“It is kind of crazy,” Krull said.
Let’s start with this: He was supposed to be a professional baseball player. His fastball tickled radar guns, reaching 96 mph, and he had a loopy curveball that snapped out his hand, rose quickly, then plummeted to earth in a way that defied physics. He didn’t know it then — How could he? He was just a kid. — but the arc of his baseball story was much like his breaking pitch.
After starring at Mill Valley High School in Kansas, Krull committed to Arkansas as one of the top prep southpaws in the country. He redshirted and transferred to Jefferson (junior) College, freeing himself to refine his delivery out of the spotlight. He rode to St. Louis with his coach Pat Evers for lessons twice a week.
“I was figuring stuff out,” Krull said.
Then came the aforementioned outing early in the season for Jefferson. A battery of scouts sat behind the backstop, just like they did during his high school games, pointing radar guns in his direction. And Krull, falling into the trap of trying to be perfect, felt lost in a place that was always home.
“I will never forget stepping off the mound and thinking I have put all my heart and soul into this and I am not getting out what I am putting in,” Krull said. “I had kind of lost my love for it. I was done. I missed football. I had to figure out how to get back to it.”
Krull didn’t quit. He wasn’t raised like that. His parents, Jon and Diana, were athletes. His mother will be inducted into Kansas State’s athletics hall of fame this month as one of the school’s greatest basketball players. Lucas finished the season with Jefferson, enjoying time as a reliever. While the Vikings simmered, eventually reaching the JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, Krull began incorporating football workouts.
He reached out to his high school football coach Joel Applebee, explaining he needed help getting recruited. Applebee sent out emails and videos to every Power 5 school. SMU was the first to show interest. Then a Florida coach traveled to Jefferson College to watch Krull throw a bullpen — “Probably one of my best,” he said — and catch passes from one of his teammates, Bailey Vuylsteke, a former prep quarterback.
Thirty minutes later, Florida offered a scholarship.
From Arkansas baseball to Florida football? Who does that? And, oh yeah, the San Francisco Giants drafted Krull in the 34th round, but he never signed, given the complications of going to spring training in Arizona and missing spring practices in Gainesville.
“The reason I didn’t think I could play football in college was because I was committed to baseball, and I was still growing into my body. I didn’t blow up in football until my senior year,” Krull said. “Everybody was telling me I was getting drafted in baseball out of high school. Being a young, immature kid, I looked too far ahead. I didn’t stay in the moment. I have learned so much through my trials and tribulations.”
They continued to follow him. Krull chose Florida in part because he grew up a huge Tim Tebow fan. But the depth chart was not his friend. He worked his way onto special teams, gaining 30 pounds to 260. He caught six passes in his first season. He was set to start in 2019, and the day before fall practice started, Florida coaches moved Kyle Pitts from receiver to tight end. Yes, that Kyle Pitts, the future fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
“I was like, ‘OK, let’s go to work.’ We both made plays in the summer, but when the season came along he was getting all the routes and I was always blocking,” Krull said. “I really wanted to play in the NFL. So after (three catches) that season, I had to find a new school.”
Krull landed at Pitt as a grad transfer. He was poised to reach his potential. Then he hurt his shoulder leading into the opener. He returned and tore the MCL in one of his knees. He thought that was it. One catch for six yards. Career over.
But COVID-19 granted college athletes an extra season. A do-over. Krull blossomed, catching 38 passes for 451 yards and six touchdowns from Kenny Pickett.
“We ran the same nine plays and nobody could stop them,” Krull said. “Winning that ACC championship was so special. Something I will never forget.”
Still, Krull went undrafted. He spent 2022 on the New Orleans Saints practice squad and joined the Broncos 11 months ago after he was cut. Everything fit. His former Saints position coach Declan Doyle was in Denver along with ex-teammate Adam Trautman. It was not long after Krull arrived that coach Sean Payton began offering unsolicited praise. At 6-foot-6, Payton calls him a “bigger target with good vertical speed and room to grow.”
The Broncos need production from their tight ends after being one of the worst position groups in the NFL last season. Maybe it will come from Greg Dulcich. Or Trautman. But watching Krull go from buckling knees to breaking ankles — he pulled that off on Thursday in one-on-one drills — would it surprise anyone if the former pitcher became a valuable receiver?
At 26, the pressure now sits comfortably on Krull’s shoulders.
“People talk about mental health. Growing up, I always thought I couldn’t talk to somebody. And I didn’t believe I needed to address my anxiety in baseball. I just have so much positive emotion, and I couldn’t show that on the mound,” Krull said. “In football, it’s just me. I don’t have to try and be someone else. I can be the energetic guy who loves being around his teammates and will do anything to help us win. This is where I am supposed to be.”
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Originally Published: August 1, 2024 at 7:17 p.m.
