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Demetrius Campbell (6’4, 280) is one of the highest-rated Junior College defensive tackles in the country. He currently holds 24 offers, which include Arkansas, TCU, Mississippi State, Missouri, Texas Tech, West Virginia, Michigan State, and Nebraska. Campbell, a 2011 graduate of Kathleen High School in Lakeland, Florida talked about his path to Junior College.
“I initially signed with West Virginia when Bill Stewart was still the Head Coach and then was ruled academically ineligible during the spring semester of my senior year. They referenced me to go to a community college and after that semester I would transfer out. I ended up injuring my ankle four games through the season. In those four games, I had 5 sacks, but it was already a third past the season, so I couldn’t redshirt. After that season was up, Bill Stewart was fired, I decided to transfer to East Los Angeles College and finish out the remainder of my junior college out here. The offers have been rolling in since February.”
Junior College has been an extremely positive experience for Campbell.
“Out of high school, that’s the reason I was ruled academically ineligible. I was just immature and thought football was everything and not really looking at all my opportunities and I realized that no matter how talented you are, if you don’t have the grades, then nobody will take you. It taught me more responsibility and how to be a man. I’ve cleared up all the academic issues now and I’m supposed to be a December grad and enroll in a school in January. It’s a grind, but at the end of the day I wouldn’t change a thing because it taught me a lot."
The former West Virginia signee has the rare combination of size and speed from the defensive line.
“I come off the ball with a lot of intensity and energy. I really pride myself on being a playmaker on the defensive line and creating turnovers and getting the ball back. When the pressure’s on, I step up to the occasion.”
Versatility is one of the main strengths on Campbell’s game.
“Coming into the season, I was strictly a defensive tackle, but this season I kinda dropped some weight so I’m playing strong side defensive end. It has worked out for me. I already have two sacks and a forced fumble. I feel like it helps me with my athleticism as far as being out in space with a tackle one-on-one. If a university wants me to transition back to defensive tackle, I feel like I could do that easily because I could add the weight back with my frame and still move really well.”
There are a few programs standing out for Campbell, but isn’t closing any doors.
“Things are really open for me right now, but three schools I’m really looking at hard are West Virginia, Oregon State, and University of Texas-San Antonio.”
Being from Florida, a school that Campbell would have interest in if the coaches came calling is the University of Miami.
“It would really change up the whole recruiting scenario for me and the dynamics of everything if they showed interest. The University of Miami is a top program, they send a lot of guys to the NFL and that’s one of the main things for me because I want to be able to get on the field and Miami is historically great at sending players to the pros. Being a Florida native, it doesn’t hurt being back where all my friends and family are so they could support me and a great university and great program.”
Miami linebacker Gionni Paul is a former high school teammate of Cambpell’s.
“I haven’t really talked to him since graduation or really anybody since graduation, but he’s still a great guy. We lived right down the street from each other and rode to school with each other our senior year. I wouldn’t mind at all being back together with him and playing on the same side of the ball as him and turning things up over there at the University of Miami.”
He won’t be rushing into any decision until he is ready.
“I’m just waiting on the right opportunity. I’m waiting things out and I’m not gonna be an early commit. The junior college early signing period is the last week of December, so I’m probably gonna wait till around that time because I want to make sure I make the right decision and honor that commitment. I’m not counting any school out.”
“I initially signed with West Virginia when Bill Stewart was still the Head Coach and then was ruled academically ineligible during the spring semester of my senior year. They referenced me to go to a community college and after that semester I would transfer out. I ended up injuring my ankle four games through the season. In those four games, I had 5 sacks, but it was already a third past the season, so I couldn’t redshirt. After that season was up, Bill Stewart was fired, I decided to transfer to East Los Angeles College and finish out the remainder of my junior college out here. The offers have been rolling in since February.”
Junior College has been an extremely positive experience for Campbell.
“Out of high school, that’s the reason I was ruled academically ineligible. I was just immature and thought football was everything and not really looking at all my opportunities and I realized that no matter how talented you are, if you don’t have the grades, then nobody will take you. It taught me more responsibility and how to be a man. I’ve cleared up all the academic issues now and I’m supposed to be a December grad and enroll in a school in January. It’s a grind, but at the end of the day I wouldn’t change a thing because it taught me a lot."
The former West Virginia signee has the rare combination of size and speed from the defensive line.
“I come off the ball with a lot of intensity and energy. I really pride myself on being a playmaker on the defensive line and creating turnovers and getting the ball back. When the pressure’s on, I step up to the occasion.”
Versatility is one of the main strengths on Campbell’s game.
“Coming into the season, I was strictly a defensive tackle, but this season I kinda dropped some weight so I’m playing strong side defensive end. It has worked out for me. I already have two sacks and a forced fumble. I feel like it helps me with my athleticism as far as being out in space with a tackle one-on-one. If a university wants me to transition back to defensive tackle, I feel like I could do that easily because I could add the weight back with my frame and still move really well.”
There are a few programs standing out for Campbell, but isn’t closing any doors.
“Things are really open for me right now, but three schools I’m really looking at hard are West Virginia, Oregon State, and University of Texas-San Antonio.”
Being from Florida, a school that Campbell would have interest in if the coaches came calling is the University of Miami.
“It would really change up the whole recruiting scenario for me and the dynamics of everything if they showed interest. The University of Miami is a top program, they send a lot of guys to the NFL and that’s one of the main things for me because I want to be able to get on the field and Miami is historically great at sending players to the pros. Being a Florida native, it doesn’t hurt being back where all my friends and family are so they could support me and a great university and great program.”
Miami linebacker Gionni Paul is a former high school teammate of Cambpell’s.
“I haven’t really talked to him since graduation or really anybody since graduation, but he’s still a great guy. We lived right down the street from each other and rode to school with each other our senior year. I wouldn’t mind at all being back together with him and playing on the same side of the ball as him and turning things up over there at the University of Miami.”
He won’t be rushing into any decision until he is ready.
“I’m just waiting on the right opportunity. I’m waiting things out and I’m not gonna be an early commit. The junior college early signing period is the last week of December, so I’m probably gonna wait till around that time because I want to make sure I make the right decision and honor that commitment. I’m not counting any school out.”
