WR Jalen Brooks can resurrect his NFL career after electric preseason in Arizona

It's been a busy last couple of days in the NFL, where teams across the league are finalizing their 53-man rosters. One guy who was fighting to win a roster spot was Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Jalen Brooks. 

Brooks, a former seventh-round pick from the 2023 NFL Draft out of South Carolina, was entering his fourth season in the league largely on the roster bubble with the Cardinals. 

Although he's been in the league three seasons, he has played in just 27 games, making just one career start. He has dealt with several injuries that have kept him off the field. 

But during Arizona's three preseason games, Brooks was a consistent weapon in the offense, and he proved that he can be a legitimate playmaker. He made the 53-man roster as expected, and he just might have a real chance at resurrecting his NFL career with the Cardinals. 

How Brooks' electric preseason turned heads in Arizona 

During the Cardinals' first preseason game against the Carolina Panthers, which was the Hall of Fame game, he led Arizona in receiving with three receptions for 99 yards. He also hauled in a 49-yard bomb early in the second quarter from quarterback Carson Beck  that set up an Arizona touchdown: 

During Arizona's second preseason game against the Raiders, he led the Cardinals in receiving yet again, hauling in six receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown. 

Against his former team in the Cowboys in the preseason, he had a quieter night, finishing with two receptions for 14 yards. But during Arizona's last preseason game against the Green Bay Packers, he had another productive night, getting four receptions for 57 yards, averaging 14.3 yards per catch. 

Brooks is part of a talented receiver room in Arizona. It includes stars Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson and Kendrick Bourne, in addition to Devin Duvernay, Simi Fehko and rookie Reggie Virgil. Brooks is listed as a second-team receiver, which is a huge improvement from where he ended last season in Arizona.

"I honestly feel like this has been the best and my favorite [receiver] room, and it's because of that," Brooks said during the preseason. "We all want to see each other succeed. We all want to make the team, we all want each other to make the team. We all know deep down, it's not going to work out like that. But that doesn't stop the love."

He has been with the Cardinals since last season, spending most of the time on Arizona's practice squad in 2025. But he did get elevated to the Cardinals' roster in December due to various Arizona injuries at receiver, but he logged just three receptions. 

He was in Dallas for two seasons, but he played in just 21 games. He caught 18 receptions for just 241 yards and a touchdown. Brooks started 2025 on Dallas' practice squad, but was elevated to the active roster in Week 5 against the New York Jets. But after suffering a knee injury in the game, he was later released by Dallas at the end of October with an injury settlement.

Brooks established an underdog mentality in college 

Brooks has been an underdog throughout his collegiate career, too. He started his career at DII Wingate, before transferring to Tarletson State. But he ultimately transferred again to South Carolina, where he was denied eligibility for the first four games of the season. He was granted the right to play by the fifth game of 2020, where he made four starts and had 11 receptions for 100 yards. In 2021, he played in just six games for the Gamecocks, getting 14 catches for 181 yards with a score, but left the team midseason for personal reasons.  

He returned to the team in 2022 and had the best season of his career with the Gamecocks, getting 33 catches for 504 yards and a touchdown. He added 51 rush yards with a touchdown, too. 

After a slow start to his NFL career, going to Arizona just might be the best thing to happen to him. The Cardinals open the 2026 regular season on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers. 

ALSO READ: Former Gamecock RB Raheim Sanders learns NFL fate with the Browns

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