Blue Cooper and Justin Buckhalter got brief, up-close glimpses of the NFL this past weekend when they participated in rookie minicamps — Cooper with the Philadelphia Eagles, Buckhalter with the Chicago Bears.
Now the two former University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wide receivers are more determined than ever to earn spots on teams or practice squads.
“It’s basically about like a dream come true,” Buckhalter said of being at the Bears’ camp. “You’re there but it hasn’t hit you that you’re there, and you know you’ve got to make the most of your opportunity.”
Cooper, who signed with the Eagles as an undrafted free agent, said he will return to Philadelphia on May 16 for a monthlong camp. Other than a few dropped passes early, Cooper said the weekend couldn’t have gone much better.
“The fun part was doing one-on-ones, where everybody was looking at me,” Cooper said. “I was 6-for-6 on my one-on-ones, and I got to catch balls from (quarterback Michael) Vick and clown around with him. It was fun.”
Because Cooper will attend the monthlong camp starting later this month, he’s had to reschedule his wedding and honeymoon; he’s marrying Maci Gault, sister of former UTC teammate Jare Gault.
Buckhalter’s status is much more uncertain. He was invited to the rookie camp to try out and said he performed well.
“I felt like I did well and got noticed, but I’m not totally satisfied,” he said. “I wanted to do more, but I’m pretty pleased with my performance.”
Buckhalter said the Bears informed him they will acquire three or four of the players who tried out, so now he’s “basically just sitting by the phone waiting and hoping I get a phone call,” he said.
Also waiting for phone calls are former UTC kicker Craig Camay and defensive end Josh Beard.
Camay, the Southern Conference kicker of the year, said Monday that he may get invited to an NFL camp later this summer. Mocs coach Russ Huesman said Beard, the SoCon defensive player of the year, has been in contact with the Chicago Rush of the Arena Football League.