Getty Parris Campbell Jr. #21 of the Ohio State Buckeyes runs the ball against the Northwestern Wildcats.
Parris Campbell will immediately be one of the fastest players in the NFL when he hits the field next season. The former Ohio State Buckeye recorded a 4.31-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, which was tied for best out of all receivers with UMass’ Andy Isabella.
At 6-foot, 205 pounds, he has the prototypical size for a slot receiver and could still pass as a No. 1 or No. 2 option on the outside. The athleticism finally came together for his final season in Columbus, as he torched Big Ten defenses for 90 catches, 1063 yards and 12 touchdowns. One of those was a 78-yard jaunt against rival Michigan in the 62-39 victory last November.
These efforts place him in the crosshairs of several NFL teams in Friday night’s Day Two action at the Draft in Nashville. Let’s take a look at some potential destinations and best fits for the Buckeye speedster.
Parris Campbell NFL Draft Mocks, Projections & Best Fits
R.J White of CBS Sports has Campbell going with pick No. 42 to the Cincinnati Bengals. Locals would love this pick, as the wideout is an Akron native that played for the highest profile college team in the state (also the entire Midwest).
Wide receiver isn’t the biggest need for the Bengals, but Campbell is a versatile weapon new coach Zac Taylor can use to make the offense more dynamic.
A.J. Green is obviously one of the best receivers in the entire league, but Campbell could provide a short-to-intermediate option for Andy Dalton. With his athleticism, he could turn those shorter passes into longer gains, as well.
One team that’s been zeroing in on Campbell is Seattle. The Seahawks could take him at No. 41 overall, according to Eleven Warriors.
If the Seahawks trade out of one of their late first-round picks into the early second round as projected above, Campbell could end up being their target. The Seahawks brought Campbell in for a pre-draft visit, and he fits the profile of players they typically draft. They’re known for drafting players who have a high SPARQ rating, and according to 3sigmaathlete.com, Campbell’s explosive athleticism gives him the third-highest SPARQ rating among all wide receivers in this year’s draft class.
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com sees Campbell going to Tennessee with the No. 51 pick, stating that his blazing speed “would offer a very good deep-ball complement to Corey Davis in this spot.” In terms of fit between Seattle and Tennessee, the better option would be the former based on quarterback fit.
Russell Wilson is famous for his ability to fire the ball after scrambling, while Marcus Mariotta’s accuracy gets all over the place when he takes off running. Campbell is adept at adjusting to quarterbacks when they get out of the pocket, and he’ll be dangerous when he catches the ball in those situations in the open field.
In terms of personality fit, though, I’d have to go with Cincinnati. The fans will love him immediately, he won’t see much attention at all with Green lining up on the other end of the field, and Zac Taylor promises to bring in a more up-tempo attack that will align with Campbell’s skillset.