A seventh-round South Carolina product who has carved out a role as a returner and rotational receiver after bouncing through practice squads.
Jalen Brooks is a wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals who has spent much of his young career fighting for a roster spot. After starting in Dallas, he found steadier NFL footing in Arizona, contributing on offense and as a kick returner.
Path to the league
Brooks played college football at South Carolina, where the 6-foot-2, 205-pound receiver caught 33 passes for 504 yards and a touchdown in the 2022 season. The Dallas Cowboys selected him with the 27th pick of the seventh round in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Career highlights
Brooks began his pro career on Dallas's roster and practice squad before eventually making his way to Arizona. His path has been defined by persistence, working through practice-squad stints to earn active-roster snaps as both a depth receiver and a kick returner.
2025 season recap
Brooks began the 2025 season on the Cowboys' practice squad before spending several weeks with the Cardinals, who elevated him to the active roster. In five regular-season appearances, he recorded three catches for 51 yards on six targets and added 10 kick returns for 254 yards.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Jalen Brooks
- ESPN: Jalen Brooks
Statistics
2025 season and career2025 Season · Receiving
5 games played▶Receiving · career
| Year | Team | GP | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | cardinals | 5 | 3 | 51 | 17.0 | 0 | 20 |
| 2024 | cowboys | 14 | 12 | 177 | 14.8 | 1 | 41 |
| 2023 | cowboys | 7 | 6 | 64 | 10.7 | 0 | 24 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Wide Receiver
- Group
- offense
- College
- South Carolina
- Hometown
- Harrisburg, NC, USA
- Age
- 26
- Status
- active
