OXNARD, Calif. (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys wrapped up the Southern California portion of their training camp on Thursday, with rookie wide receiver Camden Brown turning in one more productive practice to cap off three successful weeks for the undrafted free agent from Georgia Southern.
For Brown, it was an unlikely return to a familiar setting. He spent time at the same Oxnard hotel and practice field last year, when Georgia Southern stayed on the West
Coast between games against Fresno State and Southern California.
“When I got here, it was more of like a moment replaying all over again,” Brown said.
The two games bookending his first bit of football in Ventura County gave scouts reasons to remember the 6-foot-2, 205 pound Brown. He had seven receptions for 130 yards and three touchdowns against the future and former Pac-12 members, and his first of two scores against the Trojans had Brown showing off impressive ball tracking and a knack for adjusting while the throw was in the air.
NFL fans saw those same traits in Brown’s preseason debut against the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday, when he finished with three grabs for 62 yards and two touchdowns. On the first, Brown was able to fight through contact and get positioning to box out the defensive back. The second was a one-handed grab on a goal line fade.
Quarterback Dak Prescott said Brown has been demonstrating the many of the abilities needed to succeed on Sundays, with contested catches being the first thing he values in a receiver.
“You know, a lot of times I throw it away from the defender more than it is to a receiver, and so if you aren’t confident about making physical catches and contested catches, then it’s going to be hard to last at that position,” Prescott said.
It isn't just the highlight plays that have made Brown stand out. He has been reliable in every way, right down to his body language, according to offensive coordinator Klayton Adams.
“There’s a certain level of consistency to his route running,” Adams said. “There’s a certain level of consistency to his releases when he gets pressed. There’s certain things that he does with his body at the top of the route that you can anticipate where he’s going to be and when he’s going to be there. And Cam’s done a nice job of those things.”
However, Brown's strong showings might not be enough for him to make the team. The Cowboys have two of the game’s best receivers in CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, and Ryan Flournoy flashed as the third option last season. They also signed Marquez Valdes-Scantling in the offseason, and the eight-year veteran has impressed on special teams. The same has been true for Jonathan Mingo, who was a second-round draft pick by the Carolina Panthers in 2023.
“He’s done it every day. But, again, I think it’s a little bit cart before the horse,” coach Brian Schottenheimer said of Brown. “I mean, it’s a very competitive room.”
At a minimum, Brown has put himself in the conversation to be on a roster or practice squad with the Cowboys or someone else.
“When I first got here, I was just taking it all in,” he said. “But it’s been a great experience, and just learning, learning, learning, and attacking the process.”
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