A closer look at Georgia Tech WR Kelly Campbell

By Nolan Nawrocki, Associate editor
Sept. 7, 2001

Syracuse head coach Paul Pasqualoni wishes Campbell would have opted for the NFL early after watching film in preparation of Syracuse’s season opener against the Yellow Jackets.

"Campbell is a tremendous all-around guy," Pasqualoni said. "He’s obviously extremely fast and gifted athletically. He’s as impressive running the ball as he is catching the ball. There are plays that you see on the film where he catches balls on the option and just outruns the entire defense to the endzone, so he’s just an all-around very impressive guy and a guy that we’re obviously very concerned about."

Pasqualoni’s concerns were warranted. Campbell diced through the Orangemen’s secondary, setting Kickoff Classic records with 10 catches and 197 receiving yards in leading Georgia Tech to a 13-7 victory. The Atlanta native took some hits and finished the game with a bruised shin. Georgia Tech kept him out of last week’s 35-7 victory over The Citadel for precautionary reasons, but the senior receiver will return to the lineup this week against Navy. The real test for Cambell will come on Sept. 15 against fifth-ranked Florida State.

Pro Football Weekly contributing editor and expert draft analyst Joel Buchsbaum provided the following evaluation of Kelly Campbell in this year’s Pro Prospects Preview:

WR LeVaughn Kelly Campbell, #6

(5-10 ½, 175, 4.38) – Likes to go by his middle name. Top high school sprinter and jumper who also excelled in football and played baseball. Lettered as a true freshman in 1998, catching 11 passes for 131 yards and one touchdown and carrying the ball once for 12 yards. Team’s top receiver in 1999, despite playing at least four games with a broken jaw that was wired. Caught 69-1,105-10 and carried 4-41-1. Saw a lot more double teams in 2000 but still caught 59-963-10. Rushed 4-87-2 and returned 26 kickoffs for 632 yards. Had 41- and 50-yard TD runs and gained quite a bit of his receiving yardage after the catch. Campbell has exceptional quickness and speed, enabling him to do a very good job of separating from the defender. While he lacks size and strength, he does a nice job of avoiding the jam with deft fakes and quickness coming off the line. Campbell is at his best running vertical routes, but he will catch in traffic and can turn a short crossing pattern into a big play. He appears to have soft hands and can extend and snatch the ball, but at times he seems to struggle judging the ball.

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2001 - 2002 Season