Getty CeeDee Lamb
CeeDee Lamb: As advertised.
The first-round rookie wide receiver, who made a career out of big plays at Oklahoma, took no time to impress Friday as the Dallas Cowboys held their inaugural full-scale practice of training camp.
Working amid first-string passing drills, Lamb snared a ball from quarterback Dak Prescott with one hand — his left hand — on a simple route. The moment was captured for posterity by the Dallas Morning News.
CeeDee Lamb with that one-handed catch. Our man @vernonbryant of DMN with the photo.
Body control is one of Lamb’s biggest strengths, which helped the 6-foot-2 pass-catcher amass 173 receptions for 3,292 yards and 32 touchdowns as a collegian. And despite losing an entire offseason due to the COVID-19 pandemic, his sheer ability almost instantly translated to the next level.
“I think he’s a quick learner. He already has a good foundation, he’s fundamentally sound as a route runner,” Cowboys star WR Amari Cooper said of Lamb earlier this month. “It’s very small, nitpicky things that I help him with, that I may see – him being a rookie.”
Although, as Cooper said, Lamb needs to refine the finer points of his game, his presence alone further enhances the league’s top-ranked aerial attack, positioning Prescott to eclipse the career year he enjoyed in 2019 (4,902 passing yards, 30 TDs).
“Great guy. Great athlete. Great player. Excited for his future. Excited for now,” Prescott told reporters Wednesday, via The Athletic. “He’s very smart, very talented and he wants to learn. He’s going to play a huge role in our success immediately and in the future. I couldn’t be happier with that pick.”
Emphasis on “now.”
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Dak Practice Report
The franchise-tagged signal-caller, like everyone else, hit the grass for the first time at The Star in 2020. He was solid if unspectacular, completing 11 of 17 passes in 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills, per the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He suffered a pair of drops by tight ends Blake Jarwin and Blake Bell.
Dak Prescott throwing in front of new Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy during today’s first training camp practice
Prescott’s biggest blemish, according to the team’s official practice report, came courtesy of safety Donovan Wilson.
Donovan Wilson seems to be picking up where he left off last preseason. The coaching staff gave Wilson an opportunity to work with the first-team defense, and he definitely made the most of it. Wilson read Dak Prescott looking to make a near side throw outside the numbers, and he darted in front of the ball for a nifty interception. It was the first takeaway of training camp for a defense that is stressing the importance of generating turnovers.
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Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL