Cornerback Cameron Stone turning a corner in Cowboys' defensive backfield

Nov. 3—LARAMIE — It isn't often an NCAA Division I football team's best cornerback stands under 6 feet tall.

Cameron Stone, who's listed as 5-foot-10 and 188 pounds, admits his size could be seen as a disadvantage. But long ago, the Angleton, Texas, product learned his size wasn't an impenetrable obstacle, as long as he continued to put in the work.

Stone is in his third season playing for the University of Wyoming. Through the Cowboys' first nine games, the sophomore leads the team in pass deflections and interceptions with six and two, respectively.

Stone also leads all defensive backs with 26 tackles and one forced fumble.

One of Stone's two interceptions this season couldn't have come in a bigger moment. With the Cowboys up 20-14 against New Mexico in Albuquerque, Stone stepped in front of a Miles Kendrick pass and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown in the final minutes to seal the win for UW on the road.

Stone's third season in a Cowboys uniform didn't start out as planned. The sophomore admits he struggled early on, most notably in a 38-24 loss to Brigham Young in Provo, Utah.

UW, as a team, struggled defensively, allowing 337 passing yards and four touchdowns by BYU quarterback Jaren Hall.

Stone has taken a big step since starting the season off on the wrong foot. In last weekend's road matchup with Hawaii in Honolulu, Stone led the team with three pass deflections in the Cowboys' 27-20 conference win.

Two of Stone's three pass deflections came on crucial third-down plays. Hawaii quarterback Brayden Schager tested Stone with deep throws twice, but Stone was able to step in front of both to force a pair of Hawaii punts.

"It felt good," Stone said after last weekend's win. "It felt real good. I didn't expect to get tested this much, but he tested me, and I was there most of the time. I think I did pretty well, and it felt real good after making those big plays. It gave me a lot of confidence throughout the game."

Stone wasn't the only one who noticed Hawaii's game plan to target Stone in the secondary. UW coach Craig Bohl was impressed with what he saw out of his No. 1 cornerback in Honolulu.

"He has really amped his game up in practice," Bohl said. "He competes, and he listens to (cornerbacks coach Benny) Boyd, and he's following through on putting himself into a competitive situation to where he can rake the ball out.

"They went after him several times (Saturday), and he stood out like a rockstar. That has been an evolution, and it's been on his practice habits, and he's carried it over on the game field."

With every big play Stone comes up with on defense, his confidence grows. Coming out of last weekend's win in Hawaii, Stone said he feels like he's turned a real corner when it comes to his level of play in the Cowboys' secondary.

"I had a rocky game against BYU," Stone said. "I was in position most of the time; I just couldn't get the job done. After that, I just started working a lot harder in practice on those things. I just really started focusing on getting better at those particular things, and it's starting to show up in games now."

Stone doesn't just contribute on the defensive side of the ball. He's been returning kickoffs all year and filled in for wide receiver Wyatt Wieland in Hawaii on punt returns last weekend. While he doesn't have any substantial returns this year, Stone broke a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown last season as a freshman.

"That punt returning is a little nerve-wracking," Stone said. "But I'm glad they trust me to do all these different things."

Stone's confidence hasn't just come from opposing quarterbacks testing him. Bohl and the rest of his staff have believed in his talents when not a lot of other people did.

"I didn't really have that many offers out of high school," Stone said. "Even Wyoming didn't come around until midway through my senior season. They were one of the first FBS schools to show interest and believe in me.

"Coach Bohl sat down with me and talked to me during the recruiting process and kept it straightforward. Ultimately, that led to me committing here."

Seeing Stone evolve from the player he was coming into the program to the cornerback making plays against Hawaii is rewarding for him. But for Bohl, the veteran coach knows his shift in the amount of effort he puts in during practice has gone a long way to his development as a DI defensive back.

"There is a direct correlation between how a guy competes in practice and how he's been playing," Bohl said. "I don't know if they've caught a ball on him in practice in two or three weeks. ... During that game, they went after him a couple times, and he delivered.

"One time he was beat, but he had a great second effort to get back and strip the ball. He's an example that we're going to show some of the other players. Your practice habits do have an impact on your performance. He's really taken ownership of that, and we're really pleased with what he's done."

Stone has grown immensely since the BYU game in September, but he knows the recent growth is only the beginning of his evolution as a player.

"It gives me a lot of confidence being as involved as I have been," Stone said. "You don't see too many corners my size, especially corners who are making plays. That just keeps me going."

Alex Taylor covers the University of Wyoming for WyoSports. He can be reached at ataylor@wyosports.net or 269-364-3560. Follow him on Twitter at @alex_m_taylor22