Quan Bray and Jalil Brown Have Stood Out So Far in Camp
According to Colts.com’s Kevin Bowen, two Indianapolis Colts in undrafted rookie wideout Quan Bray and 5th-year veteran cornerback Jalil Brown have already stood out at training camp so far:
"“Cornerback Jalil Brown and his five camp interceptions have caught Pagano’s eye,” writes Bowen. “Brown added another turnover (forced fumble) on Sunday. Could Brown round out the cornerback group come roster cuts? At wide receiver, undrafted Quan Bray has flashed. The wide receiver position is obviously the deepest spot on the team but Pagano said Bray’s name comes up in personnel meetings every night.”"
While stars like Andrew Luck and T.Y. Hilton stand out everyday, it’s great to see other players, who are simply fighting for a roster spot, stake their claim at making the team.
In Bray’s case:
Bray, 22, is a 5’10”, 295 pound wideout, who was originally signed as a priority undrafted free agent out of Auburn immediately following the draft. For the Tigers last season, Bray caught 90 receptions for 849 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns; however, he’s also highly regarded for his punt returning prowess. In fact, Bray ranked 2nd in punt returns with an 18.1 ypr average and was named Second-Team All-SEC as a return specialist last year.
And in Brown’s:
Brown, 27, is a 6’1″, 207 pound cornerback who appeared in 5 games for the Colts last season at cornerback. Originally a 4th round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2011, Brown has also spent time with the Chiefs, as well as the Miami Dolphins organizations in his 5-year NFL career.
Still, it’s worth noting that each of Bray and Brown faces heavy competition to make the 53-man roster at their respective positions.
In Bray’s case, Colts are loaded at wideout with T.Y. Hilton, Andre Johnson, Donte Moncrief, Phillip Dorsett, and Duron Carter among others, meaning the former could be looking at a potential practice squad spot instead.
While with Brown, the Colts already have four noteworthy cornerbacks already in the fold with proven holdovers such as Vontae Davis, Greg Toler, Darius Butler and with rookie 3rd round pick D’Joun Smith also in the mix. So far though, Brown looks like the lead favorite to become the team’s 5th cornerback.
Either way, it’s encouraging to see players like Bray and Brown make an impression on coaches in an effort to earn their respective spots on the team’s 53-man active roster come late August.
More from Horseshoe Heroes
- Colts explored hiring former quarterback and current ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky
- When is the NFL Combine 2023? NFL Combine schedule, events, how to stream
- Latest NFL mock draft has Colts trading up to No. 1 for star QB
- Eagles offensive free agents that could follow Shane Steichen to Colts
- Here’s why Colts linebacker Shaq Leonard is going to love Shane Steichen