OXNARD, Calif. — One of the early young stars of training camp has been seventh-round pick WR Jalen Brooks, as the South Carolina product has stacked strong days in Oxnard with both the first and second-team offenses.
Whether it's his strong hands, his quick feet or his physicality in his route-running, Brooks has stood out amongst a large group of receivers vying for a depth roster spot.
"It's definitely a blessing to be out here wearing this star," Brooks said. "I'm thankful that the 'Boys drafted me. It's great to be out here competing with the guys and learning from the guys. Like I said, it's a blessing to be here."
Brooks' humility stems from a centered aura that he exudes when he talks, as even though he's shown out early on, he's staying level-headed knowing that the mission is far from being accomplished.
"I'm very level-headed," he said. "I don't get too high, I don't get too low. That's something I've learned going through a whole lot of adversity. I'm not nervous, I'm not excited, I'm just where my feet are right now."
On Monday, Brooks secured a strong-handed comeback route on solid coverage that got his day going before breaking free on a busted coverage for a deep touchdown play.
On Tuesday, it was Brooks' red zone ability that shined as he hauled in a pair of touchdown scores in the red zone period.
"I'm big on brick-by-brick, I want to keep on stacking each and every day," he said. "I like to stay level-headed. I made those plays but I gotta keep on making them to stay consistent."
It's been a long journey for Brooks.
Whether it was having to prove himself coming out of Division II into the SEC in college, or the opportunity in front of him to separate his name from the pack, he knows only good things await on the other side.
"You never know what your blessing is until you go through the storm."
