Campbell ready to go get it

ATHENS, Ga. – Columbus (Ga.) Shaw defensive back Ryan Campbell recently became a Columbus (Ga.) Carver defensive back where he hopes a new program will lead him to some new offers. With two already to his credit, a few factors could lead to several more offers in the future.

One factor that is always relevant is Campbell's grades and he is already working to take care of that.

"Troy and Georgia Southern offered but I'm getting recruited real hard," Campbell said. "I feel like I've been slacking off as a player in the aspect that I should have been on top of my test more. I'm being recruited hard enough to the point that after I get my test score in that offers will be piling in. That's how I feel."

If he is looking for offers, Campbell has transferred to the right place. Columbus Carver is the defending 4A state champion and saw Jarmon Fortson and DeRon Furr sign major scholarship offers this fall. He will also have teammates such as Jarvis Jones who is one of the most highly recruited players in the country.

"My anticipation next season is really just to go out every play doing the best I can trying to rack up as many offers as I can by Signing Day," he said. "Just basically having it where I can sit down on Signing Day and just pick what school I want to go to so I'm just trying to go hard on every down."

At 6 feet and 172 pounds, Campbell certainly has the size to pick up some big time offers. As he explains, he also has the speed.

"My strength at corner is definitely my speed," he said. "My speed sets me apart. At corner I just love it because it's you and the man and it's like is he that much beter than you or are you going to shut him down. It's just a challenge for me but my strength definitely has to be my speed."

With great speed, good size and a will to compete, Campbell seemingly has the full package but he recognizes there is always more to improve on.

What is Campbell's focus in the offseason for improvement?

"Hips and jamming," he said decisively. "I want to be real physical at the next level and if you can show hips I feel like that's the best way to get to the field as a freshman or a redshirt freshman so that's all I'm working on this summer."

Among the schools that have shown some interest but may be waiting on grades to offer are Miami, UCF, Marshall and Clemson. Clemson is a school that has caught Campbell's eye in return along with another group of Tigers.

"I was a Seminole fan but there's just something about Clemson," he said. "I just love Clemson so this summer I'm going to try to plan a visit and LSU kind of got me struck. I went down there on a Junior Day and I fell in love with their campus."

Campbell also proves that players take notice of the classes recruited before them.

"They got a strong strong player they just signed, Patrick Johnson," he said. "He's the truth and you gotta respect that so I'm really in love with LSU and Clemson as of right now."

The Clemson and LSU gameday atmospheres may be one of the factors that has made a strong impression on Campbell as he is very in tune with the pageantry at college campuses.

"Just the tradition," responded Campbell in regards to what he is looking for in a school. "There's just something about certain colleges' traditions. Like Florida, it's just the Gators, the fans, the vibe, just everything about an old football town period. Like walking into LSU Stadium, Death Valley, just looking around. I just go chills just by being in the stadium. So I just look at myself and say, 'that could be me one day. One day in this stadium running out on Saturday saying to myself it's game time. I'm about to go get it right now.'"