William

Campbell

Campbell is expected “red-shirt” this season as he switches from the defensive line to guard. An imposing 6-foot-5, 311 pounds, Campbell reeled off 35 bench-press reps at the Combine. His strength isn’t a question mark, but most everything else is as he transitions from run plugging in the Big Ten to blocking in the AFC East.

Campbell (6-foot-4 5/8, 311) performed 35 bench-press reps of 225 pounds at his Pro Day after getting snubbed for a Combine invite. A former big-time recruit, Campbell was considered a college bust until blossoming as a senior into an all-conference pick in the Big Ten. He’s a Red Bryant-type player. The Jets fielded the worst run defense in football last year, so the fit makes sense.

Campbell (6-foot-5, 311) is likely to be tried out at guard. He put up 35 bench-press reps at his Pro Day, and the Jets hope to turn him into a power blocker. 2010 second-rounder Vladimir Ducasse’s “scholarship has expired,” and he’s squarely on the roster bubble. The Jets added OLs Brian Winters and Oday Aboushi in the third and fifth rounds respectively.

It’s all but a certainty as Campbell makes the transition from the defensive to offensive line. Campbell isn’t daunted by the position switch. “Defensive guys can come over and play guard because I played both ways in high school and the transition was from one series to the next, so I feel like it will be a good transition with help from the coaches.”

That would seem to be awfully wishful thinking on the Jets’ part. Aboushi was a fifth-round pick out of Virginia, where he played left tackle, last April, while Campbell played defensive tackle at Michigan and was converted to offensive line after being drafted in the sixth round. Neither played a single snap in 2013. The Jets would be better off re-signing RG Willie Colon to another one-year deal.

There have been no announced injuries for Campbell and coach Rex Ryan did not address the injury at a post-OTA press conference. A defensive lineman in college before the Jets transitioned him to guard, Campbell did not play a single snap his rookie season. He is a developmental player.