William Campbell (American football)
William Campbell (born July 6, 1991) is a gridiron football offensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He played college football at Michigan. Campbell was drafted by the New York Jets in the sixth round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He has also been a member of the Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, Tennessee Titans, Toronto Argonauts, Tampa Bay Vipers, and Seattle Dragons.
Campbell before a Toronto Argonauts game in 2018. | |||
Free agent | |||
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Position: | Offensive tackle | ||
Personal information | |||
Born: | Detroit, Michigan | July 6, 1991||
Height: | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||
Weight: | 308 lb (140 kg) | ||
Career information | |||
High school: | Detroit (MI) Cass Tech | ||
College: | Michigan | ||
NFL Draft: | 2013 / Round: 6 / Pick: 178 | ||
Career history | |||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||
Career highlights and awards | |||
Career NFL statistics | |||
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Player stats at CFL.ca |
Early years
He played high school football under head coach Thomas Wilcher at Cass Technical High School in Detroit. While in high school, the 6 foot, 5 inch defensive tackle was also the team's punter and kicker and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.9 seconds.[1] He played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, was selected as a first-team All-American by Parade magazine, EA Sports, and SuperPrep magazine. He was ranked as the best high school player in Michigan, the best defensive player in the Midwest, and one of the top high school players in the United States.[1][2] Campbell had numerous scholarships offers and eventually narrowed his choice to Miami, LSU, and Michigan.[2]
Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | 40‡ | Commit date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
William Campbell Defensive tackle |
Detroit, Michigan | Cass Tech High School | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | 317 lb (144 kg) | 5.0 (According to Scout.com) | Jan 3, 2008 |
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A | ||||||
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: 6 (DT) Rivals: 26 National, 5 (DT), 1 (Mich) | ||||||
Sources:
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College career
He had committed to play for Michigan while Lloyd Carr was head coach, but reopened his recruiting in September 2008 after Rich Rodriguez took over as the head coach.[2] In January 2009, on the sidelines of the Army All-American Bowl, Campbell committed to Michigan.[3]
2009 season
Campbell enrolled early at Michigan in January 2009 and participated in the Michigan football team's spring practice.[2] During the 2009 season, Campbell appeared as a true freshman in all 12 games on special teams and played in nine games as a defensive tackle.[1]
2010 season
Midway through the 2010 season, head coach Rich Rodriguez assigned Campbell to the offensive line. He also appeared as a fullback in goal line situations. He appeared in all 13 games for Michigan and received his second varsity letter.[1]
2011 season
When new head coach Brady Hoke took over in January 2011, Campbell met with Hoke and asked to return to the defense.[4] In March 2011, Hoke announced that Campbell was returning to the defense.[5] Campbell appeared in all 13 games for the 2011 Michigan team. He recovered a fumble in Michigan's come-from-behind victory over Notre Dame in the first night game ever played at Michigan Stadium.[1] After a disappointing showing in his first two seasons,[6] Campbell won praise in the press for his improved play in 2011.[7]
2012 season
In late May 2012, Campbell was charged with felony malicious-destruction-of-property arising out of an incident on April 7 in which the 322-pound athlete "slid across the hood" of a Lincoln Town Car, causing damage to the hood.[8][9][10] He reached a plea deal in June 2012 in which the felony charge was waived in exchange for a guilty plea to a misdemeanor charge and an agreement to pay $2,100 in restitution to the vehicle's owner.[10][11][12]
In August 2012, Campbell showed up at training camp having lost 46 pounds.[13][14][15][16][17][18][19] A writer for an Ann Arbor newspaper reported:
Overweight and out of shape for most of his career, Campbell generally spent the first week of Michigan football practice catching his breath and figuring out how he'd make it through the first month of the season. Not this time, though. 'I'm not huffing and puffing anymore,' the senior defensive tackle said after practice Monday. 'I'm not dying right now.'[13]
Teammate Taylor Lewan added, "His conditioning shows it. You should seem [sic] him run – it's like a gazelle. Unreal."[20] Team captain Denard Robinson joked: "Will shows off his stomach more than I do. You can tell that he lost that weight."[21]
Campbell was a starter at defensive tackle for the 2012 Michigan Wolverines football team.[22] He appeared in all of Michigan's first nine games. He totaled a career-high five tackles and had an unassisted sack in the season opener against Alabama. He has appeared in 47 consecutive games for Michigan.[1] He was a 2012 All-Big Ten honorable mention selection by the media for the 2012 Wolverines.[23][24]
Professional career
Height | Weight | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
311 lb (141 kg) |
5.15 s | 1.87 s | 2.97 s | 4.70 s | 7.30 s | 27 in (0.69 m) | 8 ft 10 in (2.69 m) | 35 reps | |||
All values are from Pro Day[25] |
New York Jets
Campbell was drafted by the New York Jets in the sixth round of the 2013 NFL Draft on April 27, 2013.[26] He was released on August 30, 2014.[27]
Buffalo Bills
Campbell was signed to the Buffalo Bills' practice squad on October 7, 2014.[28] On September 4, 2015, he was released by the Bills.[29]
Green Bay Packers
Campbell was signed to the Green Bay Packers' practice squad on January 5, 2016.[30] On January 18, 2016, he was re-signed by the Packers after the season ended.[31] Campbell was released on May 9, 2016.[32]
Tennessee Titans
Campbell was signed by the Titans. On August 28, 2016, Campbell was waived by the Titans.[33]
Toronto Argonauts
On June 3, 2017, Campbell signed with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.
Tampa Bay Vipers
In October 2019, Campbell was selected by the Tampa Bay Vipers in the 2020 XFL Draft.[34]
Seattle Dragons
Campbell was traded to the Seattle Dragons along with wide receiver Alonzo Moore in exchange for defensive tackle Shane Bowman on January 19, 2019.[35] Campbell was waived on March 11, 2020.[36]
References
- "Will Campbell Profile". University of Michigan. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
- Alex Prosperi (March 27, 2009). "Campbell settling in early at Michigan". The Michigan Daily.
- John Heuser (February 5, 2009). "Defensive lineman William Campbell adjusts to life at Michigan". MLive.com.
- Michael Rothstein (April 4, 2012). "Slimmer Campbell must play big: Senior has sizable shoes to fill along Michigan's defensive line". ESPN.com.
- "UM's Will Campbell back on defense". The Detroit News. March 9, 2011.
- Sharp, Drew (August 18, 2011). "Campbell shows recruit rankings can be inflated". Detroit Free Press.
- Kyle Meinke (October 3, 2011). "Michigan defensive tackle Will Campbell receives more praise for his improving play, growing role". AnnArbor.com.
- Kyle Feldscher (May 31, 2012). "Michigan defensive lineman Will Campbell arraigned on misdemeanor, felony vandalism charges". AnnArbor.com.
- Mark Snyder (June 1, 2012). "Michigan's William Campbell faces two vandalism charges". USA Today. Retrieved June 24, 2012.
- Mark Snyder (June 14, 2012). "Michigan DT Will Campbell reaches plea deal in court case". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved June 24, 2012.
- "Michigan's Will Campbell gets plea deal in car damage case". The Sporting News. June 15, 2012.
- "William Campbell pleads guilty". ESPN.com. June 14, 2012.
- Nick Baumgardner (August 7, 2012). "Slimmed down Will Campbell says he owes Michigan football fans a great senior season". AnnArbor.com.
- Mark Snyder (August 2, 2012). "Michigan's Will Campbell has trimmed down, is ready to show how much he's grown". Orlando Sentinel.
- Mark Snyder (August 26, 2012). "Michigan's Will Campbell tackling expectations and leadership role". Detroit Free Press.
- Michael Rothstein (August 8, 2012). "Campbell must take a stand: Senior defensive tackle is running out of time to deliver on his promise". ESPN.com.
- Brad Galli (August 7, 2012). "Michigan's Will Campbell slims down, looks to reach potential". WXYZ.
- Nick Baumgardner (June 27, 2012). "Greg Mattison tells BTN that Michigan senior DT Will Campbell 'has to be' the leader up front in 2012". AnnArbor.com.
- Nick Baumgardner (March 29, 2012). "Done with excuses and no longer 'lazy,' Will Campbell hopes for big senior season at Michigan". AnnArbor.com.
- Kyle Meinke (July 31, 2012). "Michigan's Will Campbell has been praised before, but Brady Hoke explains why this year is different". AnnArbor.com.
- Stephen J. Nesbitt (August 6, 2012). "Slim Campbell poised to make big impact as a senior". The Michigan Daily.
- Michael Rothstein (March 22, 2012). "DT Campbell running out of chances". ESPN.com.
- "Lewan, Hagerup Win Top Position Awards at Big Ten Banquet". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. November 26, 2012. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
- "Big Ten Announces 2012 All-Big Ten Teams and Select Individual Award Winners". BigTen.org. CBS Interactive. November 26, 2012. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
- "William Campbell - Michigan, DT : 2013 NFL Draft Scout Player Profile". NFLDraftScout.com. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
- Cimini, Rich (April 27, 2013). "Sixth round: OL William Campbell". ESPN New York. Archived from the original on April 30, 2013. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
- Lange, Randy (August 30, 2014). "Jets Make Final Cuts to Get to 53". New York Jets. Archived from the original on August 30, 2014. Retrieved August 30, 2014.
- "Bills sign Campbell, Towns to practice squad". Associated Press. October 7, 2014. Archived from the original on December 28, 2014. Retrieved December 28, 2014.
- Brown, Chris (September 4, 2015). "Leodis McKelvin to Reserve/NFI as Bills release 16". BuffaloBills.com. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
- "Packers announce roster moves". Packers.com. January 5, 2016. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
- "Packers sign eight free agents". Packers.com. January 18, 2016. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
- "Packers sign T Jason Spriggs; announce roster moves". Packers.com. May 9, 2016. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
- "Titans Make First Round of Roster Cuts". TitansOnline.com. August 28, 2016. Archived from the original on August 7, 2017.
- Bender, Bill (October 21, 2019). "XFL Draft picks 2019: Complete results, rosters, players for new football league". Sporting News. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
- "XFL Transactions". XFL.com. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
- "XFL Transactions". XFL.com. Retrieved March 13, 2020.