Read the full transcript from G DJ Campbell's media availability on April 28, 2026.
(I want to know your reaction when you found out you're going where QB Quinn Ewers was, but not only him, S Michael Taaffe and LB Trey Moore drafted earlier in the same day.) – "My immediate reaction was it's just time to run it back again. I had 3 years with Quinn (Ewers) and he got drafted last year. It was just like a reunion seeing (Michael) Taaffe and Trey Moore go right before me. Then once I got that call, I was like, it's time to go to work with my brothers again."
(I understand in recent years Steve Sarkisian at Texas ran a lot of the same concepts, maybe even some of the same plays as the Dolphins. Now that was the Dolphins offense under Mike McDaniel here, but I think it'll be somewhat similar with Bobby Slowik as OC – how much can that familiarity help you in your transition to the pros?) – "I think it'll help me a lot, just because, like you said, I'm familiar with it and how the structure goes. I think me getting in there and just learning the playbook and just learning how to contribute to the team will be easy, especially coming from the same, similar style offense."
(I'm doing a couple of things here. One, it's on the draft night experience for you and sometimes guys expect to go higher and they're upset. Sometimes guys are grateful to have their names called and it's a big party. First of all, how was your draft night experience?) – "My draft night – my three nights experience was kind of a little bit hectic, a little bit stressful, just because I didn't know what range I was coming from. I was hearing from anywhere from a chance to be taken from the early second all the way from the fifth and sixth rounds; so it was just a wide range of where I could go. We didn't really know exactly where I could go, so that was kind of just I'd say the most stressful part about it, but I had my family around me, and some of my close friends. I didn't really throw a big party so I didn't have that much pressure, for sure."
(And then the other thing is whether you feel as though you're an underdog coming into the league. You've been at the top of the food chain your entire athletic career, and now you're a lower-round NFL draft pick. Do you feel like you're the same big dog you were at Texas, or do you feel like you come in as an underdog here?) – "As of right now, I definitely feel more humbled about my experience, especially getting drafted in the sixth round just because it was something that I never really imagined myself doing, coming from high school and then transitioning to college, I always wanted to be a first-round pick. It was one of the reasons why I came back last year, was to really improve my draft stock, so I don't feel like – I'm not underrated or anything like that, I just feel like I'm coming in with the right chip on my shoulder and this is kind of what I needed to really get that dawg in me for sure."
(My first question for you is, you're part of a draft class that seemingly emphasized physicality, particularly in the run game when it comes to the offensive players selected. I'm curious, what's your approach to run blocking?) – "My approach to run blocking is really just being physical and trying to move my man away from the play as much as possible, coming in now, learning different technique and how to attack a block, definitely just learning to apply that this upcoming season and then just really transition my game."
(I asked this to your former teammate, so I'm curious what you say, but what did the Dolphins get in S Michael Taaffe and LB Trey Moore?) – "They got some real-life dawgs and real big leaders. Michael (Taaffe) and Trey Moore did a great job of leading the defense this year and last year. Trey Moore was on his fifth year, so was Mike (Taaffe), so they were already pretty much veterans on the team, and you see how they played. They were relentless and the energy kept growing and that's how it was off the field as well."
(I read a quote from you where you said you can't imagine yourself being happy doing anything else but playing football, so I guess the question is, why is football so important to you?) – "Football is so important to me just because it's a sport that I can really release all my inner feelings out on another man and then just have fun with it. That's really the main thing. I like to win games, and just experiencing that moment with your brothers that you worked hard for in the offseason, the hard workouts all leading up to that moment whenever you do win; it's just a feeling of relief whenever it pays off."
(So you close your career with 43 consecutive starts. I know this is kind of a lot to ask, but is there a moment that stands out to you above the rest whether it was a block you made, a drive within a game, a game itself – is there a moment to look back on and say, that was the best version of DJ Campbell at Texas?) – "I definitely want to say these last three years – not my freshman year, my freshman year was kind of like a trying to get used to it, trying to get adjusted and trying to just really find my way on the team – but these last three years, it's just been fun. I've just been trying to bust heads every game and every play, every opportunity that I got, I was just trying to exert myself."
(I just want to make sure, there's no periods in DJ, right? It's just DJ, no periods?) – "Yes, sir, just DJ."
(Have you ever asked anyone why no periods or have you ever thought about putting that in there?) – "No, I haven't. Actually, I'll always just go on my name. My first name is Devon, my middle name is James, so let's go DJ."
(LB Trey Moore, can you give me a little more of an on-field scouting report? What do you think he does best on the football field?) – "He's shifty. It's like he's a jack of all trades when it comes down to lining up. When he walked down the edge, he'll hit you with a heavy spin, or the next one, he'll hit you with the full spin; so he'll kind of try to shake off a little bit, and then he got some unexpected power he got to him so he works long on you. He'll catch you off guard with that one. It's just when it comes to traits like basketball, him and Colin Simmons was really great at doing that. It's like they were playing basketball on the field, it was them two that you have to really come with your A-game when going against them in one-on-ones, especially the pass rush, for sure."
(That was a great scouting report on LB Trey Moore. Could you please share one with S Michael Taaffe as well, what he did at safety and the skills that could translate to the NFL?) – "Michael, he's just relentless with it. His energy is outstanding and he's a smart player, so he's going to try to beat you to the spot before you even get there. He's going to try to call out the offense; he sees tight end in motion, he already know what's going on. Like you said, he'd been there for a long time, so in practice, he pretty much knew what was going down so you just had to really be there and to beat them, really. He's real smart and real swifty on the field."
