Overview
Position: Wide receiver
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 208 pounds
School: Ohio State Buckeyes
Combine Performance Data
40-yard dash: 4.31 seconds (best among wide receivers)
Bench press: 11 reps
Vertical jump: 40.0 inches (fifth-best among wide receivers)
Broad jump: 11 feet, 3 inches (third-best among wide receivers)
20-yard shuttle: 4.03 seconds (tied for best among wide receivers)
Parris Campbell 2019 NFL Draft Profile
As a high school player, Parris Campbell primarily made a name for himself in the run game rather than as a pass-catcher. He combined for 2,937 yards and 50 rushing touchdowns during his junior and senior seasons at St. Vincent-St. Mary, the alma mater of one LeBron James. His exploits played a significant part in his team winning the Division III state title both years. 247Sports actually predicted a change in his role at the collegiate level, classifying him as the 19th-best wide receiver in the 2014 recruiting class.
It took a while for Campbell to make an impact in Columbus. He sat out the 2014 season and though he saw action in four games as a redshirt freshman, he didn’t make a single catch. The immensely deep OSU receiving corps combined with him learning the ins and outs of playing wideout at big-time collegiate level likely contributed. A year later, he made 12 appearances and contributed mightily on special teams with his 27.81 yards per kickoff return ranking 12th nationally.
Campbell’s redshirt junior year was when he began showing signs of blossoming into a legitimate next-level receiving prospect. Though his 584 receiving yards appeared low, it did lead a team that saw seven players account for at least 300 receiving yards. In 2018, he truly put it all together. Campbell became the fifth Buckeye in school history to total at least 1,000 receiving yards. And he was one of just 14 FBS receivers who tallied 12 or more touchdown receptions.
Strengths
- fundamentally sound catcher of the ball with soft hands;
- recognizes coverages and knows how to get open;
- will surge past defenders if he has any open space to exploit;
- a reliable outlet on underneath routes with his speed after the catch;
- exhibits good vision and elusiveness with the ball in his hands;
- brings added third down value – knows where the marker is;
- background as a running back from high school which could prove useful on trick plays;
- demonstrated big-play ability on special teams in college;
- no real medical red flags to speak of;
- solid intangibles – was named OSU team captain as a junior and senior.
Weaknesses
- a tad undersized for a feature receiver;
- lined up primarily in the slot – wasn’t utilized very much in plus splits;
- athletic in space but gets brought down too easily on initial contact;
- could improve in reacting and adjusting to downfield throws;
- didn’t see a lot of press coverage so it’s uncertain as to whether he can consistently release from jams;
- willing blocker but needs to finish and bring more physicality.
NFL Comparison: Donte Moncrief
Teams With Need at Position: Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49ers, Washington Redskins
Projection: Mid-second round
Bottom Line
Perhaps the biggest element of Campbell’s skill set that stands out is his burst. He’s absolutely electric after the catch and almost impossible to bring down once he’s past the last line of defense. Maybe it’s a function of him playing running back in high school. That element of his football past makes how effortless he catches the ball all the more impressive. But it also shows in the fact that he still needs work in becoming a more well-rounded receiver. He’s not the most adept at high-pointing the football. And his limited use as a downfield vertical threat may limit him to slot duty initially. Still, modern NFL offenses have a place for Campbell and he has every opportunity to see the field regularly as a rookie.
