Texas Football: 3 underclassmen standing out early in summer workouts

DJ Campbell, IOL

A younger offensive lineman for the Longhorns that I named as one of the underclassmen with the most to prove in summer workouts is the former elite five-star recruit and sophomore interior offensive lineman DJ Campbell. After missing the latter stages of spring ball with a wrist injury, Campbell missed getting some key practice reps to improve his feel for the game and role along the offensive line.

Campbell started spring ball as one of the first team offensive guards in the absence of fellow sophomore interior offensive lineman Cole Hutson, who was still recovering from surgery a few months prior. But a combination of inconsistency in team drills early in spring practice and the key reps he missed due to his wrist injury in the middle of camp limited Campbell’s development early this offseason.

With Williams and Neto Umeozulu knocking on the door to earn spots on the two-deep along the interior offensive line heading into fall camp, summer workouts will be critical for Campbell to make up some ground he lost in the latter stages of spring ball.

The good news for Campbell is that he was able to make a full return from the wrist injury he suffered during the spring for the start of the summer workout program. Based on the initial returns we’ve received from Campbell’s progress in the early stages of summer workouts, he appears to be making the right moves to get his body right to compete for a starting spot this fall.

CJ Vogel of TFB Texas reported this week (donor content) that Campbell’s “physique is tremendous” and that he looked like one of the most physically-impressive offensive linemen in the mix for the Longhorns this summer.

If Campbell can also make strides in terms of his understanding of the different blocking schemes and his particular role along the offensive line in the film room this summer, he’ll be in a spot to make a giant leap forward this fall.

Campbell has all the talent in the world to be one of the best interior offensive linemen in the Big 12 and eventually in the SEC a couple of years down the line.