Arlington Bowie's Devon Campbell has emerged as one of the nation's top offensive line prospects for the Class of 2022.
Literally, overnight…
"I really didn't like football until the seventh grade," he said. "My parents wanted me to play, so I did. Because I was so big, everyone just kept telling me to stay with it -- that football could be my future."
The 6-foot-4, 270-pound tackle's film is impressive. What kept jumping out was his athleticism.
"I grew up playing basketball, which has always helped my conditioning and footwork," he said. "What people don't know is that I have really good speed. When you first see me, you wouldn't think it."
What has been surprising to Campbell is the "speed" in which national programs have showed their interest.
"I'm actually surprised that this has happened so fast," he said. "My first offer was from Illinois State at the beginning of the season. Recently, I've been offered by LSU, Alabama, Texas and Oklahoma."
"I'm really looking for a school with balance. A place I can compete early, a place that can help me fulfill my dream of playing in the NFL and earning my physical therapy degree."
Campbell has been keeping busy doing his own workouts around campus, preparing for the upcoming season.
"Dallas is very competitive and the competition makes you better as a team and individual," he said. "We had a pretty good season but we need to stay locked into the game. If we get down, we tend to lose focus. We need to stay together through the hard times and we should be better than last year."
So who's film does he watch?
"I really like Tyron Smith of the Cowboys," he said. "You've got to be a Cowboys fan if you're from around here."
There are plenty of marquee football matchups this week in the Austin area. Plenty of folks will be curious to see how Cedar Ridge holds up against Lake Travis or just exactly how many points Cedar Park and Hutto are going to score between them in their battle for 24-6A lead.
But the vast majority of games each week slip under the radar, largely unnoticed by anyone except the teams themselves and their fans. That doesn’t make those games any less important. And this week’s VYPE Central Texas Game of the Week between McNeil and Stony Point at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex is a perfect example.
There are similarities between these two longtime Round Rock ISD rivals. Both are operating under new head coaches. And both are trying to build new cultures around those coaches and return to playoff form.
McNeil’s journey has been the most harrowing of the two. The Mavericks (0-2, 0-6) returned to the playoffs in 2024 and were one freakish play away from repeating that accomplishment last season under former head coach Scott Hermes. The program then went through the process of replacing Hermes twice, ultimately landing Jerry Gardner from Wylie East late in the summer.
Between the late change and seriously rebuilding after losing a ton of talent to graduation, the Mavericks have gotten off to a slow start. Senior quarterback Orion Covault has worked through the air (52-100, 646 Yds., 5 TD, 3 INT – stats through 5 games) while tacking on 261 rushing yards with a touchdown. Senior Zylen Hall (48-255, 9.5 YPC, 4 TD) has provided a spark on the ground with young receivers Quincy Sampson (13-194, 14.9 YPC, 2 TD) and sophomore Jeremy Powell (12-143, 11.9 YPC, TD) emerging as his favorite targets.
It’s a similar, if more conventional story at Stony Point (1-1, 2-4). Former Hutto offensive coordinator Dustin Pleasant travelled west along Hwy. 79 to land in Tigerland, taking over from legendary head coach Craig Cheshire. Unlike McNeil’s recent playoff appearance, the Tigers haven’t been to the postseason in a minute or two. And while the path to postseason is difficult in a district with Lake Travis, Westlake, and Round Rock, the path potentially exists with a win over Cedar Ridge (or a huge upset of either “Lake” team.)
Senior quarterbacks Brady Davis (49-89, 670 yds., 5 TD, 2 INT) and sophomore Kadin Smith (29-55, 324, 2 TD, INT) have both seen time behind center while junior Aiden Lloyd (98-475, 4.8 YPC, 8 TDs) anchors the running attack. Senior Olamide Aroworade (28-456, 16.3 YPC, 3 TD) has been the Tigers’ leading receiver.
It’s easy to hype the drama between two powerhouse teams. These two – McNeil and Stony Point – each have their own goals and agendas. At the most basic level, McNeil is simply looking for their first win of the season and of the Coach Gardner era; a chance to reap the rewards after months of hard work.
The Tigers’ slender playoff path relies on winning all their game against the rest of the district while punching one of the favorites in the nose down the road.
But mostly, it’s just one of the 10 nights these kids get to experience the thrill and joy of playing Texas High School Football. The fact that it’s our VYPE Austin CenTex Game of the Week is just icing on the cake.
