Parris Campbell brings the kind of confidence and maturity the Colts want at wide receiver

Late in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts selected Ohio State wide receiver Parris Campbell (59th overall). The word most often used to describe Campbell is speed.

We know that he ran a 4.31 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, tied for fastest among wide receivers. We know that he was a star track athlete in high school and that he attended the same high school as Lebron James. We also know that he played both running back and wide receiver in high school before making the transition full time to receiver at Ohio State.

What you might not know is how hard Campbell has worked over the last two years to improve specific areas of his game that might have been concerns coming into the draft. He earned a reputation for putting hours of repetition in with the Jugs machine to address those who questioned his hands. He spent a lot of time training himself on an expanded route tree to be ready to showcase his abilities as a route runner in drills at the Combine.

You might also not know that Campbell graduated from high school at 16 years of age, having skipped a grade in school.

As with his teammates Rock Ya-Sin and Ben Banogu, Campbell fits squarely into the type of character Chris Ballard and his scouts are targeting. He is an intelligent young man, respectful and well-mannered in his interviews, openly supportive and appreciative of his coaches and teammates, and has elite athletic abilities that few players show at 6’0” and 205 lbs. He has the vision and experience of spending a lot of time as a running back, making him dangerous in the open field, and the speed to beat defenders on crossing routes and when stretching the field vertically. Add to these abilities a calm confidence and it is no surprise that he turned heads quickly in Colts Rookie Minicamp and is expected to make an early impact in Frank Reich’s offense.

Get to know Campbell a little better by watching the following interviews. You will have a chance to see his personality and ability to roll with the punches in a light-hearted interview and see how he reacts to questions from media members at the NFL Combine.