Dolphins receiver Michael Preston already impressing in camp

Wide receiver Michael Preston was unknown to most Miami Dolphins fans until this week, but he’s making the most of his chances in training camp.

Preston, a fourth-year player who was signed with Miami in January, ran good routes and showed off his athleticism in Offseason Training Activities (OTAs) last May. And he continued to turn his coach’s heads with some diving catches on the first day of training camp.

Although buried on the wide receiver depth chart behind the shiny new toys that the Dolphins acquired at that position this year, Preston considers himself a route-running ‘artist’, with the football field as his ‘canvas’. And according to his Twitter profile, he likes to "paint picture perfect portraits against (defensive backs)." You can follow him on Twitter @BigMiiKE19. And if he keeps making plays, he could sneak onto the roster as the 5th wide receiver.

In an interview with Dolphins.com, Preston was asked what his goals are this year and he said, “Make my plays when I can, and be there when the coaches need me. I think it’s important that the coaches build faith and (that) I do everything possible to make this team and contribute.”

Preston was out of football last year after spending 2012-13 with the Tennessee Titans. He has appeared in eleven games and has 10 career catches. And he’s happy to be making some big plays for his new team.

“It’s just getting back to it,” he told Dolphins.com. “It’s a latent-type feeling. I can make those type(s) of plays. So it was good to come out here on the first day and make a big one and get the people excited, as well as my teammates. You just want to keep on doing those things, and carry that over to the preseason and down the road.”

Preston has received comparisons to another training camp warrior from a few years ago named Legedu Naanee, who was also a wide receiver. But before we go ahead and label him like that, let's take a look and see what he can do when the preseason arrives, shall we?

This story was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter @EJFootball