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Frey turning heads early in camp

In Friday’s practice, rookie cornerback Isaiah Frey showed some of the skills that helped him lead the nation with 21 pass breakups last season as a senior at Nevada.

The sixth-round draft pick dove to the ground while reaching out with one hand to knock a Josh McCown pass away from receiver Devin Thomas.

“[Frey] is making progress every day and he’s an instinctive guy,” said defensive backs coach Jon Hoke. “He understands football. I’m excited where he’s at right now. He’s still a rookie—he’s got a ways to go—but he is showing progress.”

Hoke has been impressed with how Frey and fellow rookie defensive backs Brandon Hardin, a third-round safety, and Greg McCoy, a seventh-round cornerback, have grasped the playbook.

“When we talked about possible selections and evaluations [with general manager Phil Emery and the personnel department], they all came in as good guys and smart guys, and it shows in the classroom,” Hoke said. “They pick it up well. They understand concepts.

“Now how well they take the concepts from the classroom to the field, you have to see how quick they do that. They’ve been able to handle that, but that’s all part of it. I’m encouraged with them, and it’s kind of fun to have them in the meeting rooms with how well they’ve learned.”