There's been a running theme during the first two weeks of Auburn's fall camp. When you ask anyone, whether a player or coach, which newcomers have stood out so far, the same name is uttered: Camden Brown.
Yes, the 6-foot-3 freshman wide receiver is making his name known early on in his college career, impressing not only with his play but his work ethic.
"He's cut from a kind of an older school work ethic process that, you know, this setup is not foreign to him," wide receivers coach Ike Hilliard said of Brown.
Highly touted out of powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas, Brown is part of a receivers group that is talented but inexperienced, with playing time available for those that prove to be consistent at producing. He's already shown he can do it when the lights come on, coming down with a touchdown catch in Auburn's first scrimmage this past Saturday. As Bryan Harsin said afterward, Brown is "catching our eye right now."
When you see him among his fellow receivers, Brown's build stands out the most. He looks like a veteran, not a freshman taking part in his first camp. And, much like his name comes up when asked about talented newcomers, there's also a certain quality that Brown has that continues to get mentioned: his strength.
"Cam, he's a big, strong receiver," Nehemiah Pritchett said.
"Big dude," Shedrick Jackson replied when asked about Brown. "Strong, too. He did, like, he did 225 (pounds). I can't remember how many reps. He did a lot, so that's a strong dude."
"Big body, big frame," Hilliard responded. "Very, very mature for his age."
So yeah, Brown's body is already ready for big-time college football. But, according to Hilliard, he still has to master some of the little things to take that next step.
"He adapted a little bit better and earlier than the rest of the guys," the coach said. "Now, it's just the details with the routes and the concepts and that sort of thing."