Another battle along the defensive line will be the race to succeed departed DE Antonio Smith who left for the Houston Texans. As of now, DE Calais Campbell seems poised take over at the position. Campbell will be squaring off against fellow second-year DE Kenny Iwebema for the starting spot. However, if DT Darnell Dockett continues to hold out for a new contract, Campbell and Iwebema could both find their way into the starting lineup.

(ari.scout.com)

1. Calais Campbell, DE, Arizona A second-round pick in 2008, Campbell gets his chance to crack the starting lineup of the defending NFC champions this season, as a replacement for departed free-agent defensive end Antonio Smith (who signed with Houston). Campbell had 28 tackles but no sacks in 16 games last season, seeing time at defensive tackle and end, in addition to covering kicks on special teams. The 6-foot-8, 282-pound Campbell needs to rediscover the pass rush skills that made him the 50th overall choice in last year's draft.

(cnnsi.com)

Close observers of the Cardinals wholeheartedly agree that one of the biggest keys to remaining the NFC West kingpin in 2009 will be more substantial contributions from two second-year players in particular — DEs Calais Campbell (a second-round pick in ’08) and Kenny Iwebema (fourth round). We hear the Cardinals feel pretty confident that the combination of Campbell and Iwebema will effectively compensate for the loss of Antonio Smith as the starter and primary backup at left end, respectively. “They really like Campbell’s size (6-7, 282),” a team insider told PFW. “He’s bigger than Antonio, and when he gets his arms up, it could cause real problems. He’s very bright, and he’s very diligent, unlike (2007 second-rounder) Alan Branch, whose work ethic hasn’t been great. And when the team goes to a 4-3, Campbell can move inside. They like Iwebema a lot, too. He’s a lot stronger than he looks, and he also works real hard.”

(profootballweekly.com)

When the subject of Cardinals defensive ends pops up in the desert these days, the names of second-year DEs Calais Campbell and Kenny Iwebema are the ones most often mentioned in conversations among team insiders. That’s particularly the case with Campbell, who is expected to replace the departed Antonio Smith in the starting lineup. But another young player who we hear shouldn’t be forgotten is Keilen Dykes, who spent last year on the practice squad. “They kind of like him,” said one insider of the 6-3, 294-pound West Virginia product. “He’s a big, thick, strong guy who could also swing inside.”

(profootballweekly.com)

The Cardinals may let Antonio Smith walk in free agency because second-year DE Calais Campbell is waiting in the wings.

The 50th pick overall last year, Campbell is better built at 6'8/280 to play end in the 3-4 than Smith at 6'4/280. Campbell also has more upside as a pocket pusher. Smith was solid against the run last year, but he's probably gone.

(rotoworld.com)

Too-on-One spent a few minutes with Cardinals defensive tackle Gabe Watson to get the dirt on his teammates:

Q: Who’s the best dresser on the team?
A: Antrel Rolle. He’s a clean-cut guy. Everything is neat about him.

Q: Who has the best car?
A: Edgerrin James, with that Lamborghini. That’s my favorite car. He actually called me and asked how to put it in gear. I told him everything about it.

Q: Who is the coaches’ pet?
A: Calais Campbell. Sometimes in meetings the coaches will say something that might not be right, and he’ll agree with it. Then one of us will say something that all the players agree with, and he’ll agree with the coach. I’m like, 'C’mon man, whose side are you on?’

(eastvalleytribune.com)

TAMPA — This state has its share of big-time football programs, with the University of Florida and Florida State leading the way in more recent years.

But when it comes to the NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals, one school leads the way: the "U."

That's the University of Miami, the home of five national championships since 1983, two Heisman trophy winners and Cardinals players Edgerrin James, Antrel Rolle and Calais Campbell. (Although Florida State graduates Anquan Boldin and Darnell Dockett may disagree).

"I got text (messages) from Edge and Antrel right after I was drafted by the Cardinals," Campbell said. "It's a big brother-type thing."

As the Cardinals prepare for Sunday's Super Bowl at 6 p.m. at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium, these three players will be focused on the red and white -- but they still bleed orange and green.

"I'm always helping recruit (to Miami)," said James, an Immokalee native. "We're the ones that set the trend for everyone else (in Florida)."

James' commitment to Miami might be the most visible of the three Cardinals players -- the 30-year-old star running back made a $250, 000 donation to his alma mater in 2000, the largest amount of money ever donated to Miami by a former Hurricanes athlete, and the team meeting room is named after him. He was selected to the school's Ring of Honor in September.

But Rolle and Campbell also add to the South Florida feel on this Southwestern NFL team.

"It was like no other, man," Rolle said, reminiscing about his Miami team's national championship in 2001. "I've never been part of an organization where I didn't work for myself, I worked for the guy next to me. It was a team of brothers."

Of the three Cardinals from UM, Rolle best represents the program's glory years -- he was at Miami from 2001-04, when the Hurricanes advanced to the national championship twice and played in the Orange Bowl and the Peach Bowl his other two seasons.

A Miami-area native himself, Rolle attended South Dade High School, where he was an all-American, before choosing the hometown Hurricanes. The then-cornerback was an All-American in college, too, and a first-team all-Atlantic Coast Conference player as a senior. The Cardinals then chose Rolle eighth overall in the 2005 NFL Draft, and he has been a regular in Arizona's defensive backfield since, picking up five interceptions in 2007 and 77 tackles in 2008.

As for James, his future at Miami looked bright after the Hurricanes won the 1994 National Championship in James' junior year of high school. But Miami received NCAA sanctions in 1995 before James arrived, and his sophomore year the Hurricanes were 5-6, including an embarrassing 47-0 loss to Florida State. Still, James rushed for 1,098 yards on just 184 attempts.

James left Miami after his junior year as the only player in school history to post back-to-back seasons of 1,000 yards rushing or better. The program had started to rebound, with a 9-3 record in 1998 including a 49-45 win against then-No. 2 UCLA.

Despite Miami's recent problems, James' support for the Hurricanes hasn't wavered, even given his sanction-ridden experience there.

"You have to understand why the program is that way," said James, addressing the Hurricanes' 5-7 season in 2007 and 7-6 campaign in 2008. "We've had guys that are consistently good enough to leave. ... No other school could come back right away after losing that many players."

Campbell was part of that exodus from Miami. The rookie defensive end left the Hurricanes after his junior season and was picked up by the Cardinals in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft.

"He's the baby of the group," Rolle joked. "But you've got to look out for him."

Campbell, 6-foot-8 and 282 pounds, was a first-team All-American for the Hurricanes after a streak of seven straight games with a sack as a sophomore. He was highly recruited by several big-time football schools after earning a Colorado high school record of 58 sacks in his four seasons.

"I had an opportunity to go a lot of places," Campbell said. "But I still had a good time at UM. To me, it still taught me what I needed to know ... They just need to get back that, well, swagger is what we called it when I was there."

(naplesnews.com)

TAMPA, Fla. — Until now, Calais Campbell’s favorite Super Bowl memory was more than a decade old. And it involved the Denver Broncos.
Campbell was a preteen living with his family in Aurora when the 1997 Broncos advanced to the AFC Championship game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. His dad scored tickets, and Campbell and the whole Campbell family traveled to Pittsburgh for the game. Campbell, of course, wore a Broncos jacket and couldn’t be more thrilled when his favorite team beat the Steelers. The local fans weren’t so friendly after the game.

“I was kind of tall, so I seemed like a grown man but I was only 11, and I’ve got my Broncos jacket on and I’m screaming and yelling,” Campbell, who is now 6-foot-8, said. “People were throwing stuff at me, bumping into me. Pittsburgh fans were real mad. But it was a great experience, just being there for my first big experience.”

Campbell watched that Super Bowl, when the underdog Broncos beat the defending champion Packers, back in Denver. He loved those players, especially Terrell Davis. Campbell had a picture taken with Davis when Campbell was 8 years old. Campbell still as the photo, and is hoping to meet Davis and have him sign it. Davis, of course, is in Tampa for the Super Bowl for his job as an analyst for the NFL Network, so such a meeting surely can be arranged.

Campbell would certainly be happy to anger some more Pittsburgh fans this weekend.

Campbell, Arizona’s second round draft pick last April, has spent his rookie year backing up starting defensive tackle Darnell Dockett. As a die-hard NFL fan — who still loves the Broncos, by the way — Campbell said he knows how rare it is that he’s playing in the Super Bowl as a rookie.
And if there’s any chance he starts to forget, he’s got a roster-full of teammates who bring him back down to earth.

“I’ve been called a spoiled rookie the majority of the time I’ve been here,” Campbell said Wednesday morning during the Arizona media session. “I’ve got teammates who have been in the league 12 years and never won a playoff game, let alone got to a Super Bowl, so they’re letting me know how special it is. I think of it this way: There are 32 teams in the NFL, and all of them have rookies, but only two of them get to have spoiled rookies, so I’m happy to be on one of the two.”

It should be easy for Denver fans to root for Campbell. I know I’m pulling for the kid. He saved my day Wednesday. I had set my bag down on an empty chair while we talked for about 15 minutes, and forgot to grab it when we were done talking. About 10 minutes later, I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was Calais, who tracked me down to bring me back my things.

(denverpost.com)

TAMPA -- During the tough times, when it looked as if all they were doing in Arizona was wandering the desert, Edgerrin James, Antrel Rolle and Calais Campbell could find direction in their brotherhood.

The tie that binds them is the fact they all played at the University of Miami. And they argue that is every bit as important as one out of similar DNA.

''It really is a brotherhood,'' Rolle insisted Tuesday as the Cardinals continued preparations for Super Bowl XLIII against Pittsburgh. ``No matter what, it can never be broken. Nobody should even try.''

If you think there is nothing extraordinary about the bond between players at ''The U,'' examine the relationship the three Cardinals players share. They come from different Miami classes and teams that reached different levels of success.

But when they were united on the same Arizona roster, they connected. It was natural. It was expected.

''We have a special relationship,'' James said. ``It's a bond that has been going on for years with players from that school. It's something that no other team and no other school can duplicate.

``It's something that's super special. It's really hard to explain, but you talk to anybody from the University of Miami, they know what it's about.''
It's about men who wouldn't otherwise be friends becoming each other's support system.

When Campbell, 22 and still a rookie, was selected by Arizona in the second round of last April's NFL Draft, the first call he took was from the Cardinals. The second and third calls he took were from James, 30, and Rolle, 26.

WELCOME TO THE CLUB
''As soon as I got drafted by the team, they called me and welcomed me to the team,'' Campbell said. ``There's just that connection you have that comes from work ethic and knowing what you have to do to get where you want to be. We had that and learned that at UM and it carries over.

``So when I got to Arizona, these guys helped me with getting a house and showed me what people to talk to. They helped with simple decisions like places to eat. They took care of me like a little brother. They looked out for me.''

That apparently applies in times of trouble as well as triumph. And this trio has tasted both this season.

After being drafted as a cornerback in 2005 and enjoying only modest success his first two seasons, Rolle lost his starting job in 2007. James was the teammate who encouraged Rolle.

''Since I first stepped into this league, he's been that guy in my ear telling me the right things to do,'' Rolle said. ``He pulls you to the side and talks to you, he's not a spotlight person. He doesn't tell you what you want to hear, but he does tell you what you need to hear.''

Rolle handled the demotion by moving to safety, where he has become a ball-hawking, touchdown return waiting to happen.

Rolle has nine interceptions in his career and has returned four for touchdowns. He also had a fumble return for a touchdown during the playoffs.
James also has a playoff touchdown to go with his 203 yards on 52 carries. He is again a starter and a key to bringing balance to a pass-first Arizona offense.

But midway through the season, James was practically erased from the offense -- with 27 carries in 10 games between Oct. 5 and Dec. 21. He was benched in favor of rookie Tim Hightower.

It was a difficult time for the NFL's leading active rusher.

''You want to play,'' James said. ``This year I worked extremely hard in the offseason, and I had a chance to pass some of the greatest rushers of all time. You want to build on the previous year, and the previous year I had 1,200 yards, and that was a new system. In training camp we were doing certain things that looked like it was going to be promising, and then we were going in a different direction.''

It was a time in which James could lean on Rolle and Campbell.

''I was in the same situation as him last year,'' Rolle said. ``I got pulled from my starting job last year and every day there was a conversation with him. He'd say, `Antrel, keep balling, keep working, keep doing what you do. They're going to have to play you, they're going to have to put you on the field.'

LEARNING TO BE A PRO
'And so when the same thing happened to him, I told him, `Edge, you know who you are. I mean, the whole world knows who you are and it's going to come back. Trust me, it's going to come.' For whatever reason, the coaches thought he wasn't getting the job done. But he never let them keep him down.''

The professionalism James and Rolle showed this season didn't go unnoticed by Campbell.

He didn't start any games and had only 25 tackles on defense and 16 more on special teams, but Campbell learned by watching Rolle and James.

''The way Edgerrin carried himself and the way he came back was a great story,'' Campbell said. ``I learned all it takes is one opportunity to be at the top again. You can never get down on yourself. If something bad happens, you let it go into yesterday and think there's always tomorrow and try to better yourself.

``It was a good lesson to learn from a guy I think of as an older brother.''

(miamiherald.com)

Come down to Majerle's Sports Grill at the Chandler Fashion Center on Thursday night for another edition of The Big Red Rage with Bertrand Berry! DL Calais Campbell is scheduled to appear as a special guest!

Bertrand and Calais will be joined by Cardinals Sideline Reporter Paul Calvisi and Cardinals Color Analyst Ron Wolfley. Fans are encouraged to participate in the Del Taco "Go Bold or Go Home" email promotion. If you have a question, send an email to ask92@cardinals.nfl.net and you could win a Del Taco Prize Pack!

Majerle's and Budweiser offer great food and drink specials during the show and there will be prize giveaways to the gathered audience.

Here are the details:

The Big Red Rage with Bertrand Berry

Tuesday, December 23
Majerle's Sports Grill (Chandler Fashion Center)
LIVE from 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Sports 620 KTAR/Cardinals Radio Network

Talent: Paul Calvisi, Ron Wolfley, and Bertrand Berry
Special Guest: DL Calais Campbell

(arizonasportsfans.com)

DE Calais Campbell, a rookie, is gradually getting more playing time as a rotation player along the defensive line. Campbell has produced when given the chance this year. He also plays on several special teams.



(ari.scout.com)

Calais Campbell is making a name for himself on special teams and he logged another tackle and downed Dirk's punt at the two. Campbell did pick up a block below the waist though.



(revengeofthebirds.com)

Calais Campbell continues to impress. He led the DL with 3 tackles versus the Dolphins and should continue to see an increased role as the season progresses. He has been one of the more active defensive lineman for the Cardinals, and is a regular in the defensive line rotation. These stats are not from mop-up duty.



(revengeofthebirds.com)

Calais Campbell had a great game. He was strong and very athletic...and did a very good job of disprupting the pocket. He and Travis LaBoy make a very agile, strong and quick pass rushing tandem from the left side. I think the Cardinals found the right combo there for their nickel. Also, Campbell was very active on STs, which is what this team needs from its good young players.

(arizonasportsfans.com)

DE Calais Campbell started at left end in place of the injured Darnell Dockett last week and played well. Campbell, the second-round pick, has been impressive in camp, as has DE Kenny Iwebema, a fourth-round selection.


(ari.scout.com)

Calais Campbell, DE, Miami: Campbell made two tackles at the line of scrimmage and another 15 yards downfield during the opener. He also recorded a quarterback hit. Campbell is backing up defensive end Darnell Dockett. The Cardinals expect him to become a regular part of their rotation up front.

Campbell was giving the back up linemen all they could handle. Campbell's spot on the depth chart is the only thing second string about him. He is huge at 6'8" weighing more than 280 pounds. What makes him special is the agility and speed that accompanies his strength.

He can bull rush, spin, or extend his long arms to get the job done. Trying to block him has been great experience for the Cardinals back-ups who need all the practice they can get with the injury bug going around.

(espn.com)

FLAGSTAFF - Did the Cardinals get the 2008 draft right?

The answer may well lie in the progress of the two defensive ends they picked in Rounds 2 and 4.

The Cardinals were trying to plug holes in a defensive unit that wore down because of late-season injuries. Adding “depth” means finding players who can fill in for the starters without losing much impact.

But if you listen to one of those picks, Calais Campbell, the second-round pick out of Miami (No. 50 overall), he won’t be a backup for long.
“I plan on not only being a starter but one of the premier players in the league,” Campbell said.

If looks count for anything, he could do it.

Campbell has the body of a Greek god and can run all day long. He easily outran all the other linemen in his conditioning test (300 yards, twice).

“I’ve always been able to run pretty good. It was good to get out here at the altitude and still be able to run.”

He doesn’t think he embarrassed the older players.

“I think they just know to get through it and get their times. I wanted to push myself, try to challenge myself, so I pushed myself to the limit.”
If Campbell does that on the field, he should be pretty good.

He enjoyed an outstanding sophomore season at Miami (10.5 sacks, 20 tackles for loss), then tailed off as a junior before turning pro.
Why the downturn?

Offensive linemen concentrated on him more and, “Our defense struggled. … And I think I got kind of comfortable with my routine in my workouts.

“I didn’t work on the little things as much as I should have, my footwork and hand placement — the things that make you a dominant player instead of just a good player.

“I learned from my mistakes. I used everything I learned from those years to become a better pro.”

Coach Ken Whisenhunt acknowledged that Campbell is impressive physically.

“The big test … will be how he holds up against those big guards and tackles, especially when he’s double-teamed,” Whisenhunt said. “Can he win one-on-one when he’s got the pass rush? That’s going to be the transition.”

Cardinals defensive line coach Ron Aiken said Campbell’s upside is “unbelievable.” After watching him in pads for a couple of days, Aiken said: “He’s physical. That’s the key thing you don’t know about defensive linemen until you put the pads on.”

For now, Campbell is playing on the left side of the line, Iwebema the right.

(eastvalleytribune.com)

Cardinals agreed to terms with rookie DE Calais Campbell, the No. 50 overall pick, on a four-year contract.
Campbell was a pressure player at the University of Miami, but will take on more containment responsibilities in Arizona's 3-4. He's behind Darnell Dockett, so first-year playing time may be hard for Campbell to come by.

(rotoworld.com)

Calais Campbell was starting at left defensive end for Darnell Dockett. Campbell also played with the second team.




(azcentral.com)

Coach Ken Whisenhunt said he wasn’t sure yet whether second-round draft pick Calais Campbell will play inside on the defensive line or outside, with a decision likely to wait until the players put pads on in training camp. …



(azcardinals.com)

The NFL draft is two days away, and University of Miami defensive end Calais Campbell has visited one team. And frankly, that visit includes an asterisk since all it entailed was a crosstown drive to the Dolphins' training complex.

"I've only made one visit, but I heard that can be a good thing," Campbell said. "They don't have too many questions about you."

Maybe it is a good thing. Or maybe it isn't. After seeing his draft stock tumble in recent months, Campbell doesn't know what to expect during Saturday's first two rounds.

"It's kind of exciting and nerve-racking," he said. "It's kind of mysterious, too, like you don't know what's going to happen. All I can do is hope for the best."

Little more than a year ago, Campbell could have been a top-five pick. The Denver South graduate had just finished his redshirt sophomore season with the Hurricanes, during which he racked up 20 1/2 tackles for losses and 10 1/2 sacks, earning him first-team all-Atlantic Coast Conference honors. At 6-feet-8 and 282 pounds, he was widely considered the next big thing at defensive end.

A year later, after a junior season that produced 12 1/2 tackles for losses and six sacks, Campbell is hoping to go late in the first round.

"Could be the next Julius Peppers," reads one scouting report, "or he could be the next Courtney Brown."

Philadelphia and Washington are looking at him during the mid-to-late stages of the first round, but, in the end, the questions surrounding him could push him to the second round. If so, it would be good news and bad for Campbell.

The bad news is it would cost him a lot of money. The good news is that Campbell gets it. He realizes draft day is the first day of the rest of your career, not the be-all, end-all that ESPN tries to portray.

"Without a doubt, the GMs know I'm a first-round talent," Campbell said. "I'm coachable, I'm a very hard worker, and I want to be the best I can be. Most coaches and GMs don't think I'll fall intothe second round, but it could happen. Either way, I'm blessed to be able to play in the NFL.

"If, by chance, I do drop into the second round, it will just serve as motivation to prove I belonged in the first round. My goal is to be one of the best players who ever played no matter what round I go in."

If that sounds like a mature kid talking, it's because Campbell is one. Unlike some other Miami players from years past, he won't enter the NFL equipped with baggage. Instead, he'll be packing a sociology degree with a minor in advertising.

Background checks can cut two ways in the NFL. If a player has off-field issues, it could hurt him on draft day. Campbell is hoping, given his track record and his degree, that teams will upgrade him.

"I was talking to D.J. Williams, just picking his brain, and he was telling me NFL teams look at you differently when you have a degree," he said. "They know I'm pretty smart. I think that definitely helps me, having my degree. It shows I'm a hard worker and I like to take care of business."

Unfortunately, he didn't do that during his last season at Miami. His first-team all-conference status plummeted to honorable mention. He wasn't the same monster player coming off the corner. At times, he looked more ordinary than exceptional. It was enough to land him in that gray area between the first and second rounds.

Campbell doesn't make any excuses. Sure, part of it was the general malaise the Hurricanes experienced. They lost six of their final seven games and allowed 120 points in their last three. But it was more than that, Campbell acknowledges. He could have played better but didn't.

"I could have had better technique," he said. "I could have had better steps, better hands. It's kind of crazy how much technique affects you. When I played well, my technique was good. When I didn't play well, it was because I had bad technique.

"Even so, I felt I was pretty dominant. A lot of times, I was a step away from a sack and the quarterback threw it to the ground or to a receiver. But no matter how I had played last season, I'm always looking to get better."

The issues didn't end with his 2007 season. He had a disappointing showing at the scouting combine, including 16 bench press reps at 225 pounds, the fewest of any defensive line prospect. And it was no fluke. Campbell says he couldn't do more than eight in early January, when he began training for the combine workouts.

As for the questions about his strength, Campbell has a standard answer: "I don't think the bench press is that important. I'm definitely strong enough to play in the NFL and be a dominant player."

Not measuring up
University of Miami defensive end Calais Campbell, a former Denver South player, struggled at the NFL combine, putting his draft status in question. A look at some of Campbell's measurables compared to the average for all the defensive ends who participated:

40-yard dash time
Campbell: 5.08 seconds Avg. for DEs: 4.89 seconds
Vertical jump:
Campbell: 29 1/2 inches Avg. for DEs: 29 5/8 inches
Bench press reps at 225 lbs:
Campbell: 16 reps Avg. for DEs: 25 reps

(denverpost.com)

Miami (Fla.) DE Calais Campbell is one of the tallest players in this year’s draft class at 6-7?nbsp;— and he makes sure to mention the partial inch — but he’s also one of the best. Expected to be drafted in the late first round or early second, Campbell is a gifted pass rusher who might just be coming into his own at age 21 (he turns 22 right before the season starts). Athletics are in Campbell’s blood, too. He is perhaps the best athlete in the family, having averaged a double-double in hoops in high school and could have played Division I as a tight end, too, but he also has five football-playing brothers who have played college ball.

Campbell’s sacks fell off from 10?nbsp;as a sophomore to six as a junior, but he got enough positive feedback to enter the draft early, and it appears to be a sound decision. Although tragedy struck the Hurricanes’ program the past few years with the deaths of Brian Pata and Sean Taylor, Campbell believed he could deal with death better than others because of the father he lost in high school. Campbell took some time to talk with PFW about the his kick-blocking proficiency, the Miami tradition, playing tall, skiing and “icebox pie.”

PFW: Tell me about your high school career — I heard you were quite adept at blocking kicks and running them back for touchdowns.
Campbell: (laughs) Yeah, I had a couple returns for touchdowns. I think I had like five. Blocking kicks, it’s kind of fun, coming off the edge. I didn’t do too much of it at Miami, but high school was a blast. I had the Colorado state record for sacks.

PFW: Yeah, you had more than 60, right?
Campbell: I had 57.

PFW: And you also played tight end?
Campbell: Yes I did.

PFW: Is that why you went to Miami? Were you attracted to the school because of guys like Kellen Winslow and Jeremy Shockey?
Campbell: I was recruited to play both. The first day they gave me an offensive playbook, and they gave me (uniform) No. 81. But the defensive coaches wanted me to play defense as well. So it worked out well for me.

PFW: So how did they convince you defense was the way to go?
Campbell: I have been playing defensive end since I was six. I had only played tight end in the three years before that. I even played a little offensive line my junior year. Really, defense has been in my heart since I was a little kid. But when I was playing ball, Shannon Sharpe was my favorite player, and I wanted to play tight end at first. But my coach, when I was 6 years old, put me at defensive end, and I was a natural.

PFW: Were you bigger than everyone back then too?
Campbell: I was pretty big, but I wasn’t bigger than everybody. I just continued growing when other kids stopped.

PFW: You also played a little hoops. Did you get D-I attention?
Campbell: Oh yeah, I have a little bit of basketball skills. A couple of schools offered me double scholarships, especially in the Pac-10 — Washington and Oregon. But I told people right away I wanted (most) to play football. At Miami, (Coach Frank Haith) recruited me to play basketball as well, but football was in my heart then and I wanted to be the best I could be, so I didn’t want to mess that up by playing basketball. Part of me kind of wishes I did try it, just because I am pretty good at it. But the football thing has worked out well for me.

PFW: I’d say so. Who is the best hoops player other than you on the football team?
Campbell: I would have to go with Lovon Ponder. But there are a couple of guys who can ball.

PFW: Were you 6-foot-7 when you got to Miami or did you grow?
Campbell: Yeah, I maybe grew like half an inch after I got to school.

PFW: And what did you weigh?
Campbell: When I first got there? I weighed 228. I am about 282 right now.

PFW: Is that a pretty good number for you? Do you believe you could play at that weight in the NFL?
Campbell: I think this is a perfect weight for me. I have been working out pretty hard, training real hard. I think I got up to 290 for a while, and I could play at that weight. But 280 or so feels a lot better.

PFW: What are the advantages and disadvantages of being tall in football?
Campbell: It really helps out a lot creating great leverage. If you get up into people, it really helps you. And I have the long arms to bat down passes. But also, when you are tall, a lot of guys want to cut (block) you. You really have to work them, by bending, playing with your hands. I play the cut block well, but it’s kind of hard because you have to play with really great technique.

PFW: Do you regret redshirting considering how you have played?
Campbell: No, not at all. I think redshirting was something I needed to do, playing on the scout team and going against (former Hurricane and current Texans OT) Chris Myers. And I played against Eric Winston, who is also in the NFL (with the Texans). It really helped me fine-tune my game and let me get tested against better guys. It really helped me adjust to college.

PFW: In 2006, you really made a name for yourself with sacks in seven straight games. What was the difference for you that season, being so good?
Campbell: It was my first year actually starting, I really felt like — Coach (John) Palermo was there at the time — he demanded the best out of me. That’s when I really played hard. I really feel like I play with great passion. And I started playing with great technique.

PFW: This past year, did you play up to your expectations?
Campbell: I didn’t play as well as I wanted to, not at all. I feel like I had a good year, I still played pretty well. I didn’t get to the quarterback as much as I did the year before, but I really feel like I played a lot better (as a junior). Even the year before when I had a great year, I feel like I could have had a better year. Last year, my technique wasn’t as good as it should have been. I realize I could have made some more plays, but when you lose your technique, it’s kind of hard to make plays, especially if you are off balance or out of control sometimes. If I take a good angle and hit the quarterback, he gets hit, even if I don’t get the sack. But I realized my first step was outward instead of forward. It took me longer to get off. Little technique things that really led to me not making big plays.

PFW: Talk a little about Bryan Pata — how much did his death affect you?
Campbell: Oh man, that was so tough on the whole team, especially the D-line because he was our leader. He really worked with me a lot and helped me be the best I could be. And I played behind him the year before. We talked a lot, and he worked with me the first time I started, against Florida State. It was just him walking me through that first game, telling me what I needed to do to beat my guy. And it really helped me out. He was a good friend of mine, and when that happened it was real tough on me and the whole D-line. The night before (his murder) we had a good day. It was our D-line coach’s birthday, and we dumped some water on him. And Pata was just so happy.
I can’t believe it happened. It makes you appreciate life. You never know when it’s going to be over, so you have to live for today and not worry about tomorrow too much.

PFW: Had you ever met Sean Taylor before he was killed?
Campbell: I definitely met him before. Most of the NFL guys come back. Sean came back as well, and I got to meet him and know him a little bit. It hurts when you see something like that happen. My dad passed away when I was a senior in high school, and my grandmother passed away when I was young. Those hurt badly, but I got to see death when I was younger, and I really learned that you have to appreciate the good times when they are on Earth because you can’t change it. You can’t change the outcome, so you remember the good times.

PFW: Back to football … I heard there was some confusion on the sideline with two different coaches signaling in defensive calls at the same time at times. True?
`Campbell: I don’t think there was as much confusion with the coaches as there was with the players. I think it was just that we didn’t always play together as a team. Coach (Randy) Shannon was always trying to get us to play with discipline. And if the guys on the field are not playing together, it doesn’t matter what the coaches call. I really feel like (Coach Shannon) is doing a good job of getting guys on the same page, this year especially. And the stuff he did last year will really help next year as well. Some of the things they threw at us at first were simplified, but now that guys know what to expect they can do more. I really think the team is headed in the right direction.

PFW: Who were the NFL players you talked to most often in the Miami weight room?
Campbell: Oh man. From Ed Reed to Reggie Wayne to Willis McGahee. Jeremy Shockey, but he didn’t come back this past year. He came back the year before. Bubba Franks. You go down the line, it’s crazy how many people come back. I learned a lot from D.J. Williams. Jonathan Vilma, Jon Beason this past year. I played with him, but he really helped me a lot going through this process.

PFW: That’s quite a list indeed. Tell me about your brothers playing football.
Campbell: Yeah, my little brother is here, and I have two brothers who play up at Montana and I have another brother who played at Adams State, which is a school in Colorado.

PFW: Who is the second-best NFL prospect in the family?
Campbell: (laughs) Whoo, that’s tough! That might cause some trouble! I might have to avoid some family members after this. My personal opinion, Ciarre is the best athlete — he’s got a year left at Montana. Ridiculous athlete, 4.35 (40-yard dash). Speed guy, 40-inch vertical. He’s 6-3, 185 pounds, pure muscle. But my brother, Jared, who is at Miami, his instincts are just ridiculous. He’s not the strongest guy out there, but he’s supersmart. He plays with confidence, and he has great hips.

PFW: OK, you covered the bases somewhat by mentioning two brothers.
Campbell: Yeah, but my other brothers might be a little mad!

PFW: What was your best track event?
Campbell: Ooh, that’s tough because I did the long jump, triple jump, shotput and discuss. I didn’t do it my senior year, which I probably should have. But my junior year I made state in all four. I think my best might have been shotput, but my favorite was triple jump.

PFW: Favorite athlete of all time other than Shannon Sharpe?
Campbell: It’s got to be (Michael) Jordan. Winning championship after championship … even now, people want to be like Mike still. A (basketball) player I really like now is LeBron (James). At first when he came out, I was like … “He’s got too much hype coming out of high school.” But he has really showed me that he is a ballplayer. And he knows how to win. Carried his team to the finals last year.

PFW: Favorite home-cooked meal?
Campbell: That’s tough. My Mom can throw down! She makes a lot of things I like, but I like her chicken. When she makes some fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy … I also always ask her to make this special pie she makes. It’s called the “Icebox pie.”  It's with vanilla wafers, this cream she makes up, and bananas. It’s kind of like a banana cookie cream pie. It’s really good. It’s family recipe.

PFW: Tell her I want that recipe. Being that you are from Denver, do you ski?
Campbell: One time. It was a lot of fun. I fell a lot, and my friend actually got hurt. He came with me and two other guys I played football with, and because he got hurt I haven’t been (skiing) since then. But after I stop playing football, I will definitely go again.

(pfw.com)

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)

The University of Miami has had at least one first-round pick in each of the last 13 NFL drafts. But that streak is in danger of coming to an end this year.

Two Hurricanes -- safety Kenny Phillips and defensive end Calais Campbell -- have a chance of going in the first round, but neither is better than a 50-50 bet. (ESPN's Mel Kiper said today that he thinks Campbell is more likely than Phillips to go in Round 1.) A few other Hurricanes -- including linebacker Tavares Gooden, wide receiver Darnell Jenkins, cornerback Glenn Sharpe and quarterback Kyle Wright -- could be drafted, but not on the first day.

I've heard some people suggest that the absence of a first-round pick is a major sign of the decline in the talent level at Miami. There's some truth to that, but don't shed any tears for the Miami program. There's so much great talent that comes out of South Florida -- and Miami coach Randy Shannon seems like such a good recruiter -- that even if there are no first-round picks in Miami this year, I see it as more a blip than a trend.

(aolsports.com)

Beyond Calais Campbell, Kenny Phillips and Tavares Gooden, draftnik and NFL team consultant Frank Coyle says cornerback Glenn Sharpe and receiver Darnell Jenkins are the other Canes with the best chance of being drafted, though it's no sure thing for those two. . . . Draftnik/former Browns scout Russ Lande said of Gooden, ''I'll be shocked if he gets out of the third round and he might go in the second.'' Baltimore is among several teams that like him.

(miamiherald.com)

On Friday morning, the Dolphins will hold their local pro day. The mass workout session gives players from South Florida colleges and high schools an extra chance to make an impression and helps the Dolphins mine regional talent.

The Miami Hurricanes will be well-represented Friday. Among them will be three highly rated prospects: outside linebacker Tavares Gooden, defensive end Calais Campbell and safety Kenny Phillips. Also expected are receiver Lance Leggett and guards Andrew Bain and Derrick Morse.

(palmbeachpost.com)

UM players -- including Kenny Phillips, Calais Campbell, Tavares Gooden and Kyle Wright -- will work out for the Dolphins on April 11. Though some believe Phillips will be available when Miami picks 32nd, he said Miami wasn't among 24 teams that met with him at the NFL combine. With more pressing needs (offensive line, etc.), it's doubtful that the Dolphins will take a safety that high. . . .

(miamiherald.com)

NFL Draft Bible.Com' On College Football has Calais Campbell drafted in the second round to the Cincinnati Bengals with the 47th pick.

Today, meet Miami's Calais Campbell. A prospect who was as highly regarded as Gholston and Long entering his junior season, but who now projects to be a late first-round pick.

Campbell had a disappointing senior season, registering just six sacks after posting 10.5 as a sophomore. He wasn't great in combine workouts either, running a 5.1 40-yard dash and bench pressing 225 pounds 16 times.

Sidenote: In fairness to Campbell, strength/speed guru Tom Shaw explained to me a couple months ago that players with long arms will always have a difficult time with the combine's bench press test. Click here to keep reading...

In my Seahawks Mock Draft, I have Seattle taking Best Available Talent with their first pick. I'm starting to wonder if that's not a phenomenal place to grab a longterm replacement for Patrick Kerney. Depending on the progress of Baraka Atkins, Seattle is either thin or very thin at defensive end. On a team that schemes around pass rush, that would be a disastrous deficiency. Still, you don't want to reach. You want to take a top value, perhaps one that can learn on the sidelines, or work in a rotation while Kerney remains effective.

That got me thinking about Calais Campbell. Campbell's stock dropped after a disappointing junior season, and has now dropped further after a disappointing Combine. One need only watch the guy to see the talent is there. He's a true 6'8", and wears his 290 like an Italian suite. He's lithe and agile and quick in open space. Had he stayed in school and posted a 10+ sack season, he'd be a confirmed top ten pick. But thanks to a sucky junior season coinciding with an even crappier campaign for his school, Miami, Campbell is in danger of falling out of the first round. You know who else had a sucky junior year, Chris Long. Long recorded only 4.5 sacks in 2006. In fact, since we're above using stats out of context to evaluate a player, right?, let's take a look at the three preeminent ends on the board in a slightly more refined way. Campbell and Vernon Gholston are both two year starters. Long started his sophomore season, but we'll cut him a break (2 sacks) and include only his past two (best) seasons. So instead of unduly focusing on their most recent season, let's look at their past two seasons and adjust for opponent pass attempts faced. That way, instead of getting a static number, we're left with a ratio: Sacks per pass attempt. (Just for the sake of clarity, I then projected their sack totals over 500 pass attempts.) Click here to continue reading...