Anthony Campbell joins Miami Hurricanes, will be a versatile piece on DL with huge upside

On3 imageby:Matt Shodell05/13/23

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The Miami Hurricanes have added a much-needed versatile piece on the defensive line. Louisiana-Monroe DL fifth-year junior transfer Anthony Campbell, who played 206 reps on the defensive line with 71 at tackle last season, arrived for a Miami visit May 11 and loved what he saw.

He will enroll and try to compete for a starting job this season.

A 6-7, 277-pounder, Campbell grew up in Kingston, Jamaica before  moving to the U.S. at age 14 and played two years of varsity football at Barstow High School. He was unrated by some services to as high as a 3-star by others in the Class of 2018, and headed to Independence (Kan.) Community College. He was a backup there for two seasons and headed to ULM, where he was a backup in 2021 and played 57 reps in six games and had one QB hurry. This past season he was again a backup but played well – in 208 reps he had 13 tackles, 3.5 TFL and a sack along with 2 QB hurries.

Per Pro Football Focus he graded out at 72.9 percent overall with a 74.4 run defense grade, 61.3 tackle grade and 69.4 pass rush grade. PFF noted 14 QB hurries.

Campbell chose Miami over Purdue, Colorado and Mississippi State.

Campbell’s biggest chance at a major role is on the interior of the defense, where he joins fellow transfers (albeit arriving before the spring) Branson Deen and Thomas Gore. Deen was a first-teamer this spring, and with returning starter Leonard Taylor coming back this fall off injury along with key backup Jared Harrison-Hunte (who will also compete to start) there will be some fierce competition.

Also competing will be Ahmad Moten and depth filler Jacob Lichtenstein. A new freshman face that arrives this summer will be Joshua Horton as well.

The opportunity is certainly there for Campbell to come in, light it up and start opposite Taylor in this new attacking style defense under first-year coordinator Lance Guidry. And Campbell could also find a role at end, although there is much better depth there with returning starters Akheem Mesidor and Jahfari Harvey along with Nyjalik Kelly, who flashed as a backup last season, and then a host of young, talented guys including Rueben Bain.

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