Cowboys have history of UDFA receivers succeeding in camp

It wouldn’t be a Dallas Cowboys preseason if there wasn’t an undrafted wide receiver capturing everyone’s attention. How many times have we heard training camp stories about [insert UDFA WR here] making incredible catches in drills? And then sometimes it goes even further as some will get chances to run with the first team, and suddenly they have developed quite the rapport with Dak Prescott. Preseason games come around, and the crowd narrows a bit as some show out in live action while others do not.

So, it should not be surprising at all that once again an overlooked bottom-roster receiver finds himself in a similar situation. And that player is Camden Brown.

The undrafted receiver from Georgia Southern didn’t hear his name called for many reasons. He doesn’t have great speed, he doesn’t have much of a route tree, and he finished off his college career at a smaller school. But he still has some intriguing traits that caught the Cowboys’ attention, starting with NFL-level size and an impressive catch radius. Lo and behold, those strengths were on display in Seattle.

Brown impressed in his debut, hauling in three catches for 62 yards. All three were impressive plays. He caught a deep shot where he had to go up and steal the ball from the Seahawks corner for the Cowboys first touchdown of the game. He was so pleased with that catch that he refused to let go of the ball when the Seahawks defender was trying to take it away from him when they were on the ground. Brown would have none of that.

Then, he caught a nice pass over the middle in stride when Joe Milton III found him cutting across the field. That was also a nice gain. Finally, he capped it off with his highlight of the night with a one-handed catch in the corner of the end zone on a ball that only he could come away with.

It was great to see him make these plays, but it was especially great for two reasons. First, all those things he was praised for in college – his catch radius, his initial burst; they all showed up in live action. Additionally, this follows repeated raves about him in camp where he’s been doing the exact same thing. Consistency from drills to practice to games is what needs to happen if he’s going to punch his ticket on the final 53, and so far, he’s checking off every goal.

But as we’ve said, we’ve heard this song before. In fact, quite a bit. Just to refresh your memory, let’s run through some of these past August WR darlings and remind ourselves what went down and how things turned out.

Lance Lenoir

Undrafted in 2017, impressed in the preseason, catching six passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns over the final two preseason games. He didn’t make the team. He again made a strong push the following year, impressing in camp and building chemistry with Dak, but again didn’t make the final roster. He joined the practice squad, played sparingly, almost exclusively on special teams.

Jon’vea Johnson

Undrafted in 2019, he was an Oxnard star, showing up elite speed and highlight-reel catches. Praised by the coaching staff, he kept the momentum going, hauling in nine catches for 90 yards in the preseason. Unfortunately, he suffered a shoulder injury and was placed on injured reserve. He did come back the following season, but was waived and signed to the practice squad. Nothing ever materialized.

Malik Turner

Undrafted in 2018 originally by the Seahawks, Turner joined the practice squad in 2020. He returned the following year, participating in a full offseason program where he impressed the coaches. He showed his value as a vertical threat, but also proved to be a valuable member on special teams, which earned him a roster spot in 2021.

He ended up with a mild career with the Cowboys, playing in 20 games across two seasons. His most notable game came in Week 9 of 2021 when he caught five passes for 33 yards, including two garbage-time touchdowns against a Denver Broncos defense coached by Vic Fangio and Christian Parker. Turner also partially blocked a punt that Nahshon Wright botched up, resulting in a new set of downs for the Broncos.

Dennis Houston

Undrafted in 2022, he started writing his underdog story quickly, taking advantage of camp injuries to Michael Gallup and James Washington. He displayed a mature understanding of coverages and capitalized on first-team reps, and earned a spot on the roster. Houston saw some action early, but things quickly faded when other receivers returned from injury, ultimately resulting in him being waived early in the year. He hung out on the practice squad for a bit, but eventually his time in Dallas ended.

Jalen Brooks

Brooks was a draft investment by the Cowboys, selected in the seventh round in 2023. While most eyes were on the other Jalen, Jalen Tolbert, the rookie put himself into the conversation quickly by winning consistently against backs in camp. The practice excitement didn’t follow him into the preseason as he was relatively quiet, but his consistency earned him a spot on the roster.

Brooks stuck with the team for a couple of years before an injury ended his tenure, but he landed on his feet in Arizona this year, where he is once again impressing and could end up being a meaningful part of the Cardinals’ offense.

For Brown, his book is far from written. Recent history shows that there is a wide range of outcomes this can go. Camp darlings have made the team before, so it’s not absurd that he follows in their footsteps. However, there isn’t a history of huge success stories unless you go back even further to Cole Beasley and Miles Austin for that one, but who knows. If Brown continues to play well and shows his value on special teams, he’s got as good a chance as any of the bubble receivers fighting for that last WR roster spot.