Getty Former Raiders OL Bruce Campbell.
When Bruce Campbell checked social media recently, he probably wasn’t expecting to see his name trending. Not to be confused with the famous B-Movie actor of the same name, Campbell was drafted by the Raiders as a fourth-round pick back in 2010. He only lasted a few years in the NFL before moving on to the Canadian Football League.
He hasn’t played an NFL game since 2012 but his name has dominated Twitter in recent days after a video was posted of a large man in a Walmart getting into a fight and getting knocked out by a much smaller man. Many claimed that it was Campbell who lost the fight.
Warning: the video does contain NSFW language.
BREAKING: ex #Raiders offensive tackle Bruce Campbell involved in altercation.
Was taken to hospital with a broken jaw.
Wow.
One major problem is that he was not in the video in any capacity. The Athletic’s Ted Nguyen was the first to point it out.
If you look at a picture of Campbell and then look at the man in the video, it’s clear they are not the same person. For one, the former Raider has tattoos on his arms while the man in the video doesn’t appear to. He also simply doesn’t look or sound like the man in the video. The only similarity is that they’re both large humans.
Campbell even had to take to Twitter to confirm that he was not in the video.
This RANDOM person is not me! I’m thousands of miles away on the east coast! I’m in good health, enjoying fatherhood, and pursuing my coaching career. Also, let’s not get it twisted! My hands are certified!
There you have it, Campbell did not get knocked out by a much smaller man in a Walmart.
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Campbell Was Known for His Athleticism
When the Raiders drafted Campbell, he was one of the most interesting players coming out of college that year. He was notable for being a complete athletic freak. He ran a 4.75 40-yard dash at 6-foot-7 and 314 pounds. He also did 34 reps on the bench press.
Despite those crazy numbers, he fell to the fourth round of the draft. He was definitely a project. As athletic as he was, he didn’t have a lot of skill. The Raiders worked hard to get the best out of him. Current offensive line coach for the team Tom Cable was his coach and he couldn’t even work his magic. If Campbell could’ve developed the right skill set, he had the tools to be one of the best in the business. He only played 19 career NFL games and never made a start.
Campbell Was Prototypical Al Davis Pick
When the Raiders drafted Campbell, it was the perfect Al Davis pick. Loaded with athleticism and potential but needs to work on the fundamentals. That approach worked for Davis in the past but it failed him in his later years.
While being an athletic freak can often help in the NFL, it’s not the only thing that matters. There’s a reason why Darrius Heyward-Bey didn’t have nearly as strong of a career as a slower receiver like Anquan Boldin. For whatever reason, Campbell wasn’t able to translate his elite physical traits to success on the football field.
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