2016 Missouri defensive back Roderick Campbell has been taking in an experience this winter on the hardwood. Campbell is teammates with one of the top 2016 basketball players in the nation and their Chaminade squad is tops in the state.
“The offseason has been nice and I am doing basketball right now,” Campbell told Irish Sports Daily. “I am playing basketball to stay in shape. We have the number one player in the country on our team, Jayson Tatum, so I only come in the game when we are up by 20.”
The winter hasn’t been all basketball for the 6-foot, 180-pounder, as he has reeled in some pretty good offers on the gridiron.
“Northwestern, Purdue and Louisville offered me last week,” stated Campbell. “I hopefully have some more coming soon, so that may increase over the next couple days.”
Campbell participated in Notre Dame’s Irish Invasion Camp last June and by all accounts, surprised a good number of people at the camp. Notre Dame has remained in contact with the three-star prospect and is looking to get up to South Bend for a visit sooner than later.
“I have always kept in contact with Coach (Bob) Elliott and I got to talk to Coach (Todd) Lyght a few days ago,” he said. “He wanted to offer, but they want me to get up to Notre Dame for their Junior Day, so they can do it officially up there. If we get to the State Championship in basketball, it would be the same day as the Junior Day. They told me if we do make it, I can just come up the week after for a visit.”
Lyght is new on the Notre Dame recruiting scene, but impressed Campbell in many ways in their conversation, including having a great deal of creditability.
“He was so down to earth and was just being so real,” Campbell explained. “He was telling me how he has basically done it all. He played at Notre Dame, won a Super Bowl and was All-Pro. He is coming back to mold kids into the men they are supposed to be. The thing is, he wasn’t even talking about football-wise. If you get a good education, it could set you up not just for the next four years, but the next 40 years. It was a really nice talk.
“With Coach Lyght being from Notre Dame, it really adds to the creditability. He explained what the school can do for you as a man and not just football. He played defensive back, so I can really relate to him that way too. There was a lot of creditability behind his words and he was really easy to trust, because he has been there.”
Up next for Campbell will be a string of visits across the Midwest over the next few months. Campbell will be paying close attention to academics and finding a level of comfort at those schools.
“This spring, I will be visiting Notre Dame, Northwestern, Indiana, Kentucky, and Louisville,” said Campbell. “I am not sure about Duke, I might wait and take an official there, because it’s kind of far.
“Academics is always first for me. I have a 4.0 GPA and my parents instilled that in me as a young child. I know academics is going to be very important, so when I look at schools, I look at that first. I also look at the city and if I can see myself living there for four years. I look at the people too. I obviously want to play for a National Championship, so the football program will have a lot to do with it too. If the place feels like home, then I know that will be a place I can go.”
Campbell Impressed With Lyght - Irish Sports Daily
