Is Tyson Campbell a mid-round pick with tremendous upside the Steelers should target?

For teams who are looking for a cornerback in the 2021 NFL Draft, Tyson Campbell might be a prospect to keep an eye on.

By Jeff.Hartman@BnGBlitz Apr 17, 2021, 12:30pm EDT

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEP 14 Arkansas State at Georgia

The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of many NFL organizations who could be looking at a cornerback in the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft. However, unlike the other franchises who are looking to add to their defensive back depth chart, the Steelers possess the 24th overall pick.

Not really conducive to getting a top tier prospect, but after players like Patrick Surtain, there are a lot of talented defensive backs who could be available to the Steelers at pick No. 24, or after.

There is the chance the Steelers choose to take a cornerback to bolster their depth at the position in 2021, and if Georgie cornerback Tyson Campbell is available when the Steelers pick in the middle rounds, is he an option for the team? Or would Campbell be just another mid-round cornerback selection we’ve all seen so many times?

I did some digging on Campbell, and put together a brief synopsis of the kind of player he is, and will be when becoming a professional. Below you’ll see draft profile breakdowns, film room breakdowns and game film for you to enjoy.

Don’t listen to me, or anyone else, form your own opinion on Campbell. I plan on doing this for other prospects as the draft approaches. If there is a specific player you’d like to see covered, simply let me know and I’ll be glad to put it together!

Let us know your thoughts on Campbell in the comment section below, and be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the new league year, NFL Free Agency and the 2021 NFL Draft.

Draft Profiles

NFL.com

Overview

Outside cornerback with undeniable physical traits and athletic tools. Smooth hips and agile feet guide him around the field, but he doesn’t always trust his footwork and overall technique, which leads to occasional bouts with imbalance in coverage. Length and quick-twitch agility could lead to robust improvement and success in man coverage. Poise and confidence in matching routes and playing deep throws are the first order of business and those areas might take a couple of seasons to fine-tune. Campbell’s traits outweigh the lack of polish and could lead to a solid NFL career.

Strengths

Enticing combination of height, length and speed.
Athletic gifts for natural man cover potential.
Impressive short-area twitch and agility shadowing route.
Improved press posture/balance in the last two seasons.
Easy hips for easy flips.
Speed and footwork for optimal route phasing.
Flexibility provides sudden sink and stop, mirroring comebacks.
Rangy to challenge high-low concepts from space.
Swivels for smooth directional change in coverage.
Ability to recover, close and make plays on the ball.
High school sprint champ in Florida.

Weaknesses

Must continue to get comfortable trusting feet.
Occasional battles with imbalance through lateral transitions.
Leaning from trail position diminishes stickiness to route.
Can improve downfield positioning to play the ball.
Inconsistent whipping head around to locate throws.
Coasts when he doesn’t feel threatened.
Needs to adjust zone coverage rather than guard grass.
Contain duties in run support are erratic.
Slow getting off receiver blocks.

Pro Football Network

Position: Cornerback
School: Georgia
Current Year: Junior
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 185 pounds

Positives: Nice-sized, athletic cornerback who showed terrific development the past two seasons. Engages receivers at the line of scrimmage, quickly flips his hips in transition, and mixes it up with opponents throughout the route. Stays with assignments, sticks with receivers downfield, and stays on their hip out of breaks.

Battles throughout the play, displays a sense of timing on pass defenses, and has a burst to the ball out of his plant. Jars receivers at the point of attack, shaking the ball free. Fires up the field, works getting off blocks, and willingly defends the run.

Negatives: Slow getting his head back around and does a bit of face guarding. May struggle in bump-and-run coverage early in his career. Had a combined 1 interception and 11 pass breakups the past three seasons.

Analysis: Campbell possesses the size and underlying ball skills to start at the next level, but needs to continue to develop his game. He’s athletic and physical with the ability to line up in zone or man-off coverage. Campbell’s potential is enticing, and if properly coached, he could easily develop into a No. 2 corner on Sundays.

The Draft Network

Tyson Campbell aligns at cornerback for the Bulldogs defense. He plays the position with very good athleticism overall, as evidenced by his agility and short-area quickness. He has the NFL body type and frame teams covet for the position. When combined with his movement skills and length, it is easy to see why this player would be intriguing to NFL scouts. He has very good man coverage ability, but struggles with situational awareness. He remained healthy in 2020, which worked to answer durability concerns. However, when on the field, he has struggled to consistently make plays in the passing game.

Ideal Role: Starting outside (only) corner in sub-packages.

Scheme Fit: A team that implores press coverage and sprinkles in some zone. Would probably make more plays playing off and in a predominantly zone scheme.

Walter Football

Strengths:

Excellent height
Superb length
Good weight, strength
Strength to jam and reroute
Straight-line speed
Size to match up against big receivers
Quality instincts
Plays the ball well in air
Good feel in coverage
Skilled to slap passes away
Willing tackler
Physical
Does a good job of preventing separation
Good fit as a bump-and-run corner
Maintains correct positioning downfield
Contributed on special teams
Athletic upside

Weaknesses:

Not a serious interception threat
Outside corner only
Lacks twitch
Could have some change-of-directions problems
Not a good fit for off-man coverage

Player Comparison: Xavier Rhodes. Campbell reminds me of a thinner Rhodes. Rhodes (6-1, 218) is a big corner who can play press man and defend big receivers. Campbell could do that as well in the NFL. In the 2013 NFL Draft, Rhodes was a late first-round pick, and Campbell could be a late first-rounder in the 2021 NFL Draft.I think Campbell could be a pro corner similar to Rhodes after he gains some weight in a pro strength and conditioning program.