Texas A&M has done a good job thus far in this transfer portal cycle in avoiding huge exits from big time names. The core of this roster looks like it will remain consistent from last year into this one, and that's a huge plus for the Aggies this year.
However, the nature of things in this free-transfer world is that the players who fans may identify as possible big contributors going forward— those on the margins with impressive skillsets that have yet to be fully utilized by the team— are those most likely to attempt to forge a new path via the portal. This is exactly the eventuality that just bit the team.
With a deeper receiver position group after last portal cycle, playing time was beginning to look scant for some of the guys down the list in that room. One such player, Ernest Campbell— a guy with electrifying speed— has apparently decided to look elsewhere to continue his career.
Texas A&M loses potential special weapon in speedster Ernest Campbell
Campbell doesn't fit in the mold of a traditional receiver. He's short and slight, but his speed is hard to deny once you lay eyes on him. He came in as a track/football combination player, but without a massive change in body type, his potential contribution to the football team didn't seem to be huge.
The SEC is just a step below the big leagues, though, so Campbell has apparently decided to see if he can make his way elsewhere. Matt Zenitz has reported that Campbell is entering the transfer portal after a year and a half in College Station.
Though Campbell's size was a concern, there was an archetype for him to follow in order to contribute. Guys like Kavonte Turpin in the NFL have made careers of being blisteringly quick yet slighter in build, so fans were hoping for a role like that for Campbell.
The fact that he didn't make it on the field at all during his first year, and that there was next to no buzz about him from the insiders, made this seem like it was a pipe dream, though. Hopefully, Campbell finds the right fit at his next stop.