CORAL GABLES - As a defensive
lineman, Calais Campbell can only think of one
occasion where he will have to run 40 yards during
a game. And it's a situation defensive players
want to avoid.
"The only time you run 40s is when you're chasing
somebody from behind for a touchdown," Campbell said.
It was Campbell's way of telling NFL scouts there is no
reason for concern over his sub-par 40-yard dash times
that have caused his draft stock to drop.
He once was considered a top-10 pick, but some analysts
say he may not be the guy to continue Miami's streak of
first-round picks in Saturday's NFL Draft. The
Hurricanes have had at least one first-round selection
in each of the past 13 years.
"Everybody has their own opinion," said Campbell, who
left school after his junior season. "I think I'm a
first-round guy. Some people think I'll go earlier than
later. Some people think I'm close to the end. It all
depends on the coach you ask. ... I'm hoping to show
some people that I'm going to be one of the best
players."
His 40 times at the NFL Combine and UM's Pro Timing Day
caused the 6-foot-8, 283-pound Campbell to slip on most
draft boards. He ran a 5.03 in Indianapolis and failed
to improve on it in his second attempt. "I know my 40
is better than what I showed because I've always been a
high 4.7, 4.8 guy," Campbell said. "I don't know what
was the big difference. I just know if I keep working,
I'll get my speed [time] back down."
Campbell said the five pounds he gained may have
contributed to the slower times. He tried to add muscle
to improve his strength, another area in which he
tested poorly. At the Combine, he only did 16 reps at
225 pounds.
"On the field, you play with leverage," said Campbell,
who benches 325 pounds. "It doesn't really matter how
much you bench. It's all about playing with leverage
and using your strength to its advantage."
It may be too late for Campbell to sway opinion. Draft
experts are expecting him to fall from the first round.
ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said Campbell is a late
first-round pick at best.
"Jacksonville at 26 would be a possibility, Tennessee
at 24 and Pittsburgh at 23," Kiper said. "He has a
chance to be picked in the early second round at
worst."
The decline in interest is humbling considering
Campbell was projected as a first-rounder had he left
after his sophomore year. He drew comparisons to
another towering Atlantic Coast Conference defender,
Julius Peppers, who starred at North Carolina before
being selected No. 2 overall by the Carolina Panthers
in 2002. Campbell had 10.5 sacks and 20.5 tackles for
losses in 2006.
Campbell chose to return for his junior season with
hopes of breaking UM's single-season sack record and
competing for a national title. Neither happened, with
his statistics dropping drastically and UM (5-7) not
qualifying for a bowl. Campbell had six sacks last
season and rarely stood out.
"I'm going to work hard, and I'm going to show my work
ethic," said Campbell, who will watch the draft in his
hometown of Denver. "My work ethic and my athletic
ability and my potential, I really think I could be a
great player.
"A lot of people might think I'm raw. I think with me
being coachable if I get a good coach to help me out
and take me under his wing and work with me, then I
think my potential is the sky. The sky is the limit."
(sun-sentinel.com)