The Good and Bad of DJ Campbell's Final Scouting Report After the NFL Combine

The NFL Draft is almost here.

Seven Texas Longhorns competed in last weekend's combine, making them likely candidates to hear their name called in late April.

Each of those players' film has been reviewed and will be graded over the next week, continuing with offensive guard DJ Campbell. Linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. and cornerback Malik Muhammad have already been profiled.

The Good

Texas Longhorns offensive lineman DJ Campbell against the Clemson Tigers during the CFP National playoff first round | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Campbell was the No. 1 interior offensive lineman in the class of 2022. The Arlington Bowie alumnus spent one year learning before taking over the starting duties.

He started 43 games over three years with the Longhorns before declaring for the NFL Draft as a senior. He was a part of two offensive lines that received Joe Moore Award consideration.

The conversation around Campbell begins with his strength. Despite lacking the ideal size for an NFL guard, he possesses strength in his arms, legs, and especially his core.

That strong core allows him to anchor against in pass protection and generate push in the run game.

Campbell is also able to flip his height disadvantage into a leverage advantage, getting under defenders' pads.

His experience on the offensive line shows through in his ability to pick up stunts and communicate with his fellow linemen. This remained true in his senior season, which is impressive given that he was Texas' only returning starting offensive lineman in 2025.

Campbell sometimes looks awkward moving forward, however he shows flashes of great play in space. Evaluators might expect him to improve in the open field given his impressive 5.01-second 40-yard dash.

He has an incredible knack for finding work downfield and as a pass blocker, often grabbing those extra five yards for his ballcarriers and generating the occasional pancake block.

DJ Campbell, pass pro is not passive😤 pic.twitter.com/Icg9824P1L
— Cole Cubelic (@colecubelic) November 29, 2025

He works his feet and hips masterfully to seal off angles on zone runs, a scheme he may fit even better if his combine is indicative of an increase in speed.

Campbell was a true iron man, starting every game for the past three seasons. That playing time and availability helped him to improve in every season as a starter.

Category (according to PFF)	2023	2024	2025
Overall Offensive Grade	63.5	68.3	70.9
Run Blocking Grade	62.9	66.5	73.6
Pass Blocking Grade	69.2	76.8	77.6
Sacks Allowed	6	3	1

Campbell's height-concerns are also neutralized by his length, as he has impressive-for-his-frame 34 1/4-inch long arms.

The Bad

Campbell's most glaring issue is his hands. He instinctually brings them up late and wide, allowing defenders to get into his frame and neutralize his powerful arms.

His poor hand fighting hurts his grip strength, preventing him from sustaining or finishing blocks. Additionally, the width of his hands often leads to him holding defenders, a fact officials seemed to catch on to over time as he put up 13 combined penalties across 2023-2024 and 10 penalties in 2025 alone.

He impressed at this year's Shrine Bowl, but his poor use of hands hurt his pass-protection in the one-on-one drills.

While Campbell moves his feet well, he often leans too far out over his skis, causing him to lose control or get shed by defenders. This problem is exacerbated by his tendency to go into blocks headfirst with his eyes down.

Campbell often looks awkward when pulling, often slowing his feet before making contact and almost always charging at defenders head-first. This makes him a tough sell for gap-scheme teams.

His stiff hips prevent him from recovering when he gets beat in pass protection. This is especially concerning for a player of below-average size.

While he might be able to be a swing guard in the NFL, he lacks a track record of positional flexibility. Campbell has been on the right side of the offensive line since at least his sophomore season in high school, and took 2,633 of his 2,635 career snaps at right guard in college.

Campbell's impressive 40-yard dash and obvious natural strength give him a fairly high ceiling, however whether or not he can reach that ceiling is a serious question. Teams could find it troubling that a 22 year-old player who played every game at the same position in college still has issues with his hands, balance and technique.

Final Grade:

Texas offensive lineman DJ Campbell during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Overall, DJ Campbell is a reliable, seasoned guard who is a ways away from being an every-week starter in the NFL. He can provide value on day one for an NFL team as a good pass-protector and has room to grow into an above-average lineman, provided all goes right.

While his potential is hamstrung by the inflexibility in both his hips and positional experience, not to mention his stature, Campbell did improve every season in college. Campbell also spent all four years with the same offensive line coach, Kyle Flood, so perhaps teams believe that getting him in a room with somebody new could help him unlock new facets of his game.

The Good

The Bad

Final Grade:

Final Grade: Round 5-6