Cowboys Wide receiver Jamaica Rector had a great training camp and an even better preseason.
“Rector was our top producer here in preseason, you can't ignore that,” says Cowboys Head Coach Bill Parcells.
Rector was busy during the preseason, mainly because the team’s top two receivers, Terrell Owens and Terry Glenn, were injured during training camp.
As a result, he finished the preseason with 20-catches for 245-yards. That was tops on the team. More importantly to him personally, he made the team.
“I speak positively about the kid, because he really listened to me last year, about what he needed to do and he took it to heart,” says Parcells. “He trusted me, and he parlayed that into something.”
Last year, he was on the practice squad but this year, he is expected to return punts on opening day.
Says Parcells, “I'm giving him more and more stuff that he needs to do. He’s got to take that same thing, and allow it to expand his versatility now.”
Rector says he loves the challenges that Parcells keeps adding. “I thrive off that,” he says, “That's juice to me, I need to do this. Everyday, I go home, and I just picture it in my mind, this is what I need to do, and Bill, Parcells is in my head also, that's juice to me too.”
Rector wore number-6 in high school, where he was 1-A, all state performer in both track and football at Celeste, north of Greenville. Everyday, he dreamed about playing in the NFL some day.
“Oh yes, it was there, every day all day,” says Rector. “I would even go out by myself, run probably like a mile or two, out to the triangle we called it triangle, and just go to the field, just zone out, just zone out on the field, and picture the NFL.”
Rectors’ experience on the practice squad and his ability to absorb coaching, is what finally earned him a roster spot. He's learned a lot but for him, the fun is just beginning, and should start as the punt return specialist when the Cowboys open the season in Jacksonville on September 10th.
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