The New England Patriots saw considerable change at their wide receiver position this offseason. But while the moves involving A.J. Brown, Romeo Doubs and Stefon Diggs dominated the headlines, they were far from the only ones made by the club: it also brought in multiple rookie free agents to fill out the depth chart.
One of those was North Texas product Cameron Dorner.
Hard facts
Name: Cameron Dorner
Position: Wide receiver
Jersey number: 88
Opening day age: 22 (2/4/2004)
Measurements: 6’0 3/4”, 188 lbs, 9 1/8”
hand size, 30 3/8” arm length, 73 3/8” wingspan, 4.57s 40-yard dash, 6.96s 3-cone drill, 4.07s short shuttle, 37 1/2” vertical jump, 10’1” broad jump, 12 bench press reps, 6.85 Relative Athletic Score
Experience
NFL: New England Patriots (2026-) | College: Shepherd (2022-24), North Texas (2025)
A three-sport athlete, who also ran track and played basketball, Dorner led Oakdale High School in New Market, MD, in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns as a senior. Nonetheless, he went unrated as a college recruit and had to start his career at Division II Shepherd University. In three seasons with the Rams, he started 17 of his 33 games and caught 88 passes for 1,076 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also averaged 24.8 yards on 17 kickoff returns and found the end zone once.
His success at Shepherd allowed him to enter the transfer portal in 2024 as a three-star prospect. He took his talents to Division I, where he joined North Texas for his final year of college eligibility. He ended his lone season with the Mean Green with 56 receptions, 911 yards and eight TDs.
Regardless of his production, Dorner went through the 2026 NFL Draft without hearing his name called. He joine the Patriots as a rookie free agent shortly thereafter.
Scouting report
Strengths: Dorner is an explosive wide receiver, who accelerates quickly to get into his routes. Despite having played at lower levels of college football, he runs a branched-out route tree and is precise in his cuts while also reaching his landmarks quickly and effectively. A yards-after-catch threat, he has shown the ability to avoid or run through tackle attempts. He also has some strong hands, dropping just one pass on 70 targets during his lone season at North Texas, and solid timing and body control to win at the catch point. He furthermore offers potential and experience as a kickoff returner.
Weaknesses: Dorner’s athletic profile does not necessarily give him an edge over other wide receivers. He lacks size and also does not stand out due to his long speed or agility. He also is not the strongest player, putting pressure on his lower half to get away from press-man coverage or hold his own as a run blocker. In addition, the NFL presents a serious step up in competition, despite his one-year stint at North Texas.
2025 review
Stats: 14 games (8 starts) | 712 offensive snaps | 70 targets, 56 catches (80.0%), 911 receiving yards (16.3/catch), 8 TDs, 1 drop | 1 carry, 2 yards, 1 fumble | 1 penalty (incl. 0 declined/offsetting)
Season recap: Dorner’s numbers improved each season during his three-year stint at Shepherd, and in December 2024 he opted to enter the transfer portal. While none of the Power 5 schools came knocking on his door, he did manage to find a home in the FBS when North Texas offered a scholarship. He ended up spending only one season in Denton, but it was the most productive of his career despite going against superior competition.
Serving as the team’s top perimeter target and No. 2 overall behind standout slot Wyatt Young, he finished second on the team in targets (70), receptions (56), receiving yards (911) an touchdowns (8). He also ranked third among the team’s regulars in yards per route run (2.45) and first among them in average depth of target (11.5) — a reflection of his role as a deep-field player oftentimes used to clear space for Young underneath.
While his teammate, who has since transferred to Oklahoma State, received most of the attention, Dorner was quite good himself and produced at a career level — and a consistent one: he caught at least one pass in each of his 14 games, and along the way had some standout individual efforts.
He opened his North Texas stint with a 7-98-1 outing against Lamar, went 7-117-1 against Charlotte, and 4-125-1 versus Temple. He ended his college career with possibly his most notable game: in the Mean Green’s 49-47 win over San Diego State in the North Mexico Bowl, he was quarterback Drew Mestemaker’s favorite target and caught six passes for 66 yards and a couple of scores — including the difference-maker:
Despite his success in 2025, Dorner flew largely under the radar heading toward the NFL Draft. He was not invited to any of the prominent all-star showcases nor the Scouting Combine.
2026 preview
Position: Z/X-receiver | Ability: Camp body/Practice squad candidate | Contract: Signed through 2028 (2029 RFA)
What will be his role? Dorner has decent length and speed as well as plenty of experience as a perimeter target. The Patriots have used him in that fashion as well so far in his rookie training camp. He therefore projects as a backup option best suited to line up at Z, but also flexible enough to move to X.
What is his growth potential? His lack of high-end athleticism might put a cap on his ceiling, but Dorner knows how to maximize his skillset and has shown himself a capable pass catcher even without blazing long speed or imposing size. If he can continue to be a crafty receiver capable of winning through his explosivity and YAC potential, he could earn himself a role as a package receiver and possible kickoff return option early on in his career.
Does he have positional versatility? Dorner is a moderately versatile wide receiver, who as noted earlier can play both of the perimeter spots. He also has some slot reps on his résumé and has seen some solid action as a kickoff returner as well.
What is his salary cap situation? Arriving on a standard three-year UDFA deal, Dorner carries a cap number of $888,333 into 2026. It consists of his $885,000 base salary as well as a fully-guaranteed $3,333 signing bonus proration. Also part of the deal is a $30,000 salary guarantee that will be triggered should he make the roster.
How safe is his roster spot? The Patriots have seven wide receivers realistically eyeing roster spots this summer, but Dorner is not among them. He has had some solid moments this summer, which should strengthen his case for a practice squad spot, but the 53-man team looks like an unattainable goal. Of course, a lot will depend on his availability: Dorner has been out of practice since August 4.
Summary: Dorner missing time in training camp is anything but ideal, but a quick return should allow him to reclaim the top spot among the “other” wideouts on New England’s roster. If he can do that, the practice squad looks like a realistic landing spot.
What do you think about Cameron Dorner heading into the 2026 season? Will he remain in New England? How much will his current injury absence hurt his chances of doing so? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts.
