If you’ve watched just about any Packers game this season, you may have noticed number 59 on defense. That player is De’Vondre Campbell. He’s been a huge reason why Joe Barry’s defense has been trending up as of late. This is his first year in Green Bay. He was picked up this past off-season after spending one year with the Arizona Cardinals. The more you may notice him, the more you would wonder how he was able to be scooped off the street. In order to find out more about our newest Inside Linebacker, I decided to do a spotlight on him. Let’s get into it.
The Packers’ defense hasn’t allowed a 300 yard passer in 2021.
Over the last 5 games their opponents are averaging only 16.8 points.
They’ve amassed 2+ turnovers in 6 of 8 games.
This is despite facing multiple catastrophic injuries to All-Pro talents.
It’s absolutely unreal. pic.twitter.com/X2D2cDy3xt
— PackersHistory.com (@PackersHistory1) November 2, 2021
From JUCO To A Fourth Round Pick
Campbell was drafted in the 4th round of the 2016 NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons. Before transferring to Minnesota, he played football at Hutchinson Community College. His last year in College before being drafted he recorded six and a half tackles for loss, two and a half sacks, one interception and two fumbles. The Falcons noticed and he signed a four year contract in 2016 after being drafted.
De’Vondre started 10 games in his first season with the falcons. He played in 11 total games and finished with 48 tackles along with one interception and one forced fumble. The falcons finished 11-5 during his rookie season. On the way to the Super Bowl they defeated the Packers in a game I’m sure most of us would like to forget. Two weeks later the Falcons had a game to forget of their own in the infamous 28-3 Super Bowl game vs. the Patriots.
During the next two seasons De’Vondre would put up noticeable numbers for the Falcons. In 13 starts in 2018 he finished with a team high 94 combined tackles. After the 2019 season the Falcons and Campbell would part ways and De’Vondre was a free agent.
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The Arizona Cardinals
On April 3rd 2020 De’Vondre Campbell signed a one year deal with the Arizona Cardinals. While starting all 16 games for the Cardinals and finishing 3rd on the team in tackles, it wasn’t enough for the Cards to keep him around. I suppose the Cardinals didn’t see what the Packers would eventually see when the picked him up off the street.
De’Vondre Campbell And The Green Bay Packers
On June 9th of this year the Packers saw something in De’Vondre and signed him to be the Inside Linebacker opposite Krys Barnes. It didn’t take long for the Packers to notice they got something special. In week two he picked off Lions QB Jared Goff. Just a few short weeks ago, he intercepted the first pass from Joe Burrow in overtime. Plays like these are why Packers fans have noticed De’Vondre. The Packers took a very low risk in signing him and it has been paying off.
De’Vondre Campbell is 2nd in the NFL in Solo Tackles with 54 @Came_Along_Way pic.twitter.com/i5srXcoAfK
— IKE Packers Podcast (@IKE_Packers) November 8, 2021
October NFC Defensive Player Of The Month
Barely three months into the season and he’s turning heads across the league, and not just in Green Bay. A huge accomplishment for a big reason the Packers defense is trending up. Pay attention because it seems like De’Vondre Campbell is just getting started and this Packers team is real, and we have a lot to thank 59 for.
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