‘He’s a Man of His Word’: How Tyson Campbell’s Preparation Has Resulted in Star Potential
Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Tyson Campbell has never had to say much on the football field. He has always been able to let his play do the talking for him.
As a quiet rookie who put his head down and just worked, his play began to speak louder and louder each week. Then his second training camp came around, and there was a clear shift. A new confident, but reserved, air that was accompanied by shutdown play after shutdown play against the Jaguars' new-look receiver room.
Now, his play is practically screaming. With each passing week showing more and more signs of complete play from Campbell, the second-year cornerback is making a statement between the lines each Sunday.
The days of a vocal and egocentric No. 1 corner in Jacksonville may be gone, but the days of a tenacious and laser-focused No. 1 corner have arrived.
"When I first got here, I didn't realize that he was only a second-year player," Jaguars wide receiver Zay Jones told Jaguar Report this week. "So I thought he was much older, well beyond his years, very poised, and he's very patient."
That is the impression Campbell has given since he was drafted by the Jaguars No. 33 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. After a few bumps and bruises and even a position switch within last year's scheme, Campbell began to flash legitimately top-tier talent. He took his lumps as a rookie, but the experience has helped mold him into the corner today.
Through six games in 2022, Campbell already has just four fewer pass breakups, one fewer interception, and one fewer tackle for loss than he had in 15 games last year. Set to smash his rookie numbers by November, Campbell is now fresh off arguably his best game.
Campbell, who was targeted six times and allowed three catches for eight yards along with three pass breakups and a forced fumble, earned the highest coverage grade of all defenders in Week 6, according to Pro Football Focus. He is PFF's No. 7 graded cornerback through six weeks and ranks in the top-20 of all cornerbacks with 100 coverage snaps in terms of passer rating allowed, yards allowed per catch, and completion %.
"Each week, the game has slowed down for me and you kind of get acclimated to, you know, the pace of the game, kind of starting to learn more and get smarter each week," Campbell told Jaguar Report on Wednesday. "So I feel like that's what I'm doing. My routine and my work ethic is helping me as well, too."
It is that routine that has impressed Jaguars passing game coordinator and cornerbacks coach Deshea Townsend. Townsend won two Super Bowls as a player with the Pittsburgh Steelers and knows what success looks like at the cornerback position from a preparation and work-ethic standpoint.
To him, Campbell is a rare breed.
"Well, I think from seeing his development from watching the tape beginning last year to this year, and then the conversations that we had when I first got here and took the job and of what he wanted to do ... You know, a lot of times people say what they want, and then you don't see the action, but for him to say what he wants to do and they come out every day and meet and work the way that he does," Townsend told Jaguar Report this week.
"He's a man of his word."
Campbell's intensity and desire to be the best has always been what has lit the fire beneath him. While many cornerbacks talk the talk of wanting to be the best and doing everything possible to get there, Campbell is one of the few who has done the work and walked the walk. Mix this in with his physical talent, and there is no question within TIAA Bank Field of just how good he can become.
"You know, just his attention to detail. Like, he wants to be really good. So we meet in the mornings, he comes in extra," Townsend said. "And that's the one thing that you want from one of your better players is to be the guy that wants to do the extra to make sure he gets better. And that's the type of kid that he is."
"I mean, it's great man. Just having a coach that played a long time in his league, and it has, you know, accomplished the ultimate goal in the NFL, which is win multiple Super Bowls. So, you know, as a DB group, you know, we definitely listen to everything he says, because he knows what he's talking about," Campbell said.
"He has definitely given me some tips and meeting with him extra also has helped my game too."
While Campbell's maturity and professionalism make him appear closer to being a seven-year veteran than a 22-year-old cornerback with not even 30 games under his belt, it isn't just those traits that have made him who he is today, nor is it those traits alone that have the Jaguars thinking they have something special on their hands.
A lot of cornerbacks work tirelessly in the NFL. The difference with Campbell is he is able to put together work ethic and rare physical traits into one package, giving him a ceiling that is hard to even define at this stage.
"Anytime you are that tall and can run and you're willing to tackle, the sky's the limit," Townsend said.
"Physically, I feel like he's just very, very gifted," Jones summarized. :Length, good speed, I think he tracks the ball well, doesn't panic in a lot of situations. I have a lot of respect for him as a DB. Competing against him, going against him like, that's the type of caliber player I want and I like practicing against. I want to practice it. So I think that he's gonna have a very fruitful career in the NFL. And I'm excited to see where he takes off."
The latest example of Campbell's development came in Week 6 against the Colts. With rookie wide receiver Alec Pierce running a vertical route and the ball in the air, Campbell had a do-or-die moment. This is the same situation he has struggled with in the past, even dating back to his days at Georgia. For him, playing the ball in the air in these types of plays has been the next step in his development. And on Sunday, he took more than a step -- he took a leap.
"We're in a situation so I knew all week, they like to throw back shoulder so I played it and that's what I got," Campbell said. "So it is just trusting instincts and that allowed me to make that play."
For Townsend, the recalling of the play brought a quick smile, and for good reason. It was exactly how Campbell was coached to play it. He did everything right, showing the physical tools and the preparation can pay off on individual plays each week.
"That's one of those moments we worked. It's one of those things that he wants to get better at is playing the ball vertically," Townsend said.
"And that group, they do a good job of throwing it vertical. And his technique, some of the stuff that we worked on, was perfect, like, you know, to see him get his head back through the body, looking back at the receiver. And that's that's how you teach it. And he went out there and perfected it and made a really good play."
So, what is next for Campbell? Obviously, the Jaguars' defense is in search of more turnovers. Campbell intercepted Carson Wentz in Week 1 and the Jaguars forced nine turnovers over the first month of the season. But the last two weeks has seen the defense force zero takeaways. Campbell can be a solution to that, and that is the next step in his evolution.
"The next step for him is just to continue to take the ball away," Townsend said. "And that's one thing that we talk about a lot, you know, to see him step in front of the one that he had in Washington, and then just go find the ball, create turnovers, along with being a solid player, and he's been doing a good job of working on that."
If Campbell keeps playing the way he has, the turnovers will come. Teams will continue to test him because even the best cornerbacks are thrown at. But Campbell's steely reserve and workmanlike attitude at cornerback ensure that he will be ready. As will his growing confidence.
"Regardless if you know, when you go play, you always have to be 'take care of that play, and then there's on to the next,' whether that play was good or bad, right you shouldn't have to think you're the best player on the field," Townsend said.
"And how he prepares allows him to go out and be confident, you know, and that's the one thing that even though they might catch a pass on him, he knows he is prepared and ready for the next one.
His coaches see it. Campbell himself has seen the improvement. He is more than just a starting NFL cornerback, he is someone who the Jaguars know they can lean on moving into the future. He has earned that right, along with the respect of his team.
"So it's like, I see him as a leader but not someone who's vocal. Leading by example, playing at a high level at such a young age," Jones said, "And I'm sure a lot is put on him. I can't speak as far as schematically everything but I know a lot is placed on his shoulders and I trust him when he's out there.
"So that's one of the main things is as players we all want respect from our peers, and he definitely has earned that."
