The Jets not too long ago signed vast receiver Cam Camper to exchange the injured Gee Scott. At the moment, we break Camper down intimately.
The 24-year previous Camper is listed at 6’3” and 198 kilos and was an all-Mountain West Convention honorable point out in 2024 after posting over 900 receiving yards at Boise State. He additionally performed for Indiana however was undrafted final season.
Camper was simply 5’9” as a highschool senior, so he was unranked as a highschool recruit and initially tried to stroll on at Sam Houston State.
When that didn’t work out, he went down the junior faculty route by enrolling at Trinity Valley Group School. In two years there, he was productive when he performed, catching 22 passes for 353 yards and a landing in 2020 and 28 for 505 and three touchdowns in 2021. Nonetheless, he missed time resulting from accidents in each seasons.
By this time, Camper had grown so much, and was on loads of radars. He finally ended up at Indiana, the place he made an instantaneous influence with 11 catches for 156 yards in his debut.
Issues continued to go nicely from there, as he had one other 100-yard sport with 10 catches a number of weeks later. Nonetheless, he suffered a critical damage in the course of of the season, limiting him to seven begins. He ended up with 46 catches for 569 yards and two touchdowns.
He was able to return in the course of the 2023 season and began seven of the final eight video games. Whereas he had a 100-yard sport in opposition to Akron, his general manufacturing was down with 17 receptions for 285 yards and a landing.
Having graduated, Camper opted to switch to Boise State in 2024 and at last remained wholesome all 12 months as he began six of 14 video games and racked up 903 yards and 4 scores on 58 receptions. This earned him an all-Mountain West Convention honorable point out.
Popping out of faculty, Camper went undrafted and signed for the Jaguars forward of coaching camp. He caught one move for them in preseason however didn’t make their roster.
Over the spring, Camper was drafted by the UFL’s Orlando Storm and he ended up fourth within the league with a 14.8 yards per catch common as he caught 23 passes for 340 yards and three touchdowns. He was 14th within the league for receiving yards, however solely performed seven common season video games; the bottom of anybody within the top-15.
The Storm misplaced within the semi-finals with Camper held to 2 catches for 26 yards, so he set about looking for an NFL staff to signal him up.
Camper was signed by the Jets early on in coaching camp, following an damage to Scott.
Let’s transfer onto some extra in-depth evaluation of what Scott brings to the desk, primarily based on in-depth analysis and movie research.
After his progress spurt throughout his JUCO days, Camper has good peak however his catch radius nonetheless falls wanting latest Jets signing Quincy Skinner, regardless of Skinner being over an inch shorter.
Camper’s professional day numbers had been about common throughout the board, however he ran a solid-for-his-size 4.52 within the 40-yard sprint.
He didn’t take part within the bench press at his professional day.
Camper primarily performed on the surface throughout NFL preseason and UFL motion, in addition to throughout his faculty profession. He did line up within the slot generally, together with virtually 20 p.c of the time in faculty.
He has not carried the ball as a rusher at any stage.
Camper has had some good success on downfield routes in faculty and on the UFL stage, though he’s extra of a man you’d throw it as much as than somebody who’s prone to get behind the protection. He can monitor the ball nicely over his shoulder although.
His longest play at Indiana was simply 41 yards however he did have performs of 45, 52 and 53 yards at Boise State.
In his two seasons at Indiana, Camper’s catch fee fell wanting 60 p.c every time. Nonetheless, he improved that to 67 p.c at Boise and 71 p.c within the UFL. He solely caught one among 5 targets in preseason NFL motion although.
His drop fee was low all through his faculty profession, though six of his 11 drops got here in 2024.
Camper showcases a powerful potential to put out and make catches at full extension.
He doesn’t at all times catch the ball cleanly however exhibits good focus by way of his potential to keep up management and stop the ball from hitting the turf.
Camper shows some good base fundamentals as a route runner, with well-executed releases and a capability to disguise his break by leaning inside to create leverage.
He has proven some potential to make use of his physique to field out, which can be one thing he must depend on if he can’t generate separation in opposition to NFL-level cornerbacks.
Camper hasn’t precisely put up excellent crimson zone numbers, as he has by no means had 5 landing catches in a season at any stage post-high faculty.
Nonetheless, he has proven on a number of events that he generally is a good choice to throw it as much as close to the objective line.
He additionally scored on one two-point conversion in his faculty profession.
Camper’s numbers after the catch are nothing particular, however he’ll struggle for yardage although he doesn’t break many tackles.
He had one good spotlight on this space throughout the UFL season, breaking this play for an 74-yard landing.
He hasn’t been a lot of an choice within the display sport, averaging lower than six yards per play when focused on these throughout his faculty profession.
He had one fumble throughout his faculty profession, again in 2022.
Camper was a strong blocker in faculty, who makes use of his measurement nicely on the surface.
His efficiency grades for run blocking within the UFL had been poor in response to Professional Soccer Focus, however that’s usually an indication that extra is being requested of a receiver when in comparison with somebody who may simply get primary assignments and put up a median grade.
He had two blocking penalties in 2024, each in the identical sport. One was for holding and the opposite one was an unlawful block within the again.
Camper caught a whole lot of contested catches throughout his faculty profession and some extra within the UFL. His measurement is an asset in opposition to smaller defensive backs.
He was known as for offensive move interference as soon as at Boise State.
Camper barely performed any particular groups in faculty or throughout his NFL preseason appearances, however he was used extensively on kick and punt protection within the UFL and took to the function impressively as he had 9 tackles, together with seven in his final 4 video games.
He didn’t line up as a gunner on punts, as a substitute taking part in on the wing. He has taken some snaps as a vice although, in addition to speeding punts.
He fielded one kickoff in faculty however didn’t return it.
Instincts and Intelligence
Camper exhibits some potential to learn coverages and discover open areas when performs are prolonged.
He had one pre-snap penalty in 2024, for a false begin.
Camper has proven good dedication to make it to the NFL having beforehand been unable to earn a school scholarship. Little question he has had self-discipline instilled in him by his mom, who has a navy background.
On-field self-discipline was not a difficulty for Camper, who had eight offensive penalties in three years throughout his faculty profession and one on the UFL stage.
There was one play in his faculty profession the place he was jawing with an opponent and induced a shove, enabling him to earn a flag with an over-exaggerated flop.
Accidents have been a priority for Camper prior to now, however he’s steered away from them for the previous few seasons.
Having seen each of his JUCO seasons lower quick resulting from undisclosed accidents, he tore his ACL in his first season at Indiana after which suffered one other knee damage in his second sport again. Though he confirmed toughness to get again into the line-up for the next sport, Camper was clearly restricted as he finally needed to have one other surgical procedure on his repaired knee.
He additionally missed one sport in faculty resulting from sickness.
Camper will in all probability change Scott on the third unit for now, in what’s prone to be an out of doors function.
Throughout his time at Indiana, Camper was a teammate of present Jets receiver Omar Cooper Jr.
It’s attention-grabbing that the Jets introduced in Skinner forward of Camper on condition that the latter has way more spectacular faculty manufacturing and a season’s price of strong UFL movie. Nonetheless, this means Skinner was extra of a precedence for them, even when he was only one spot above Camper on their watchlist.
The previous accidents are an apparent concern, however while you’re bringing in a man on a non-guaranteed minimal wage simply to be a camp physique, that doesn’t actually matter and the participant ought to nonetheless earn an extended look if he does nicely.
The truth that he flashed on particular groups is likely to be his likeliest route onto the roster, however realistically his best-case situation might be a follow squad spot.
