Breaking down the addition of WR George Campbell

What are the Nittany Lions getting in Florida State grad transfer receiver George Campbell, who committed to the program Wednesday after a visit to Penn State this week?

We caught up with Michael Langston of Warchant.com to learn more about the former Rivals.com five-star prospect from the Class of 2015, and how his career as a Seminole suffered some setbacks before his decision to finish out his career with the Nittany Lions.

BWI: What was your reaction to seeing Penn State as the destination for George Campbell's final season of eligibility?

ML: I guess the team was surprising more than anything. I didn't really know who was heavily involved with him, but I had heard that Penn State needed receivers. So it was kind of surprising because I didn't know the team he was going to, but when I found out Penn State needed receivers, he kind of fits what it seems like Coach Franklin is looking for as far as length. He's really fast, has really good wheels. So I wasn't really surprised that he was leaving, I just didn't know the team.

BWI: The basic breakdown of his Florida State career seems to boil down to being a special teams contributor as a freshman, a redshirt due to injury, most of the 2017 season missed due to injury, and a 2018 season that just didn't pan out. Is that your read on his career as a Seminole?

ML: I think his whole career has been marred unfortunately by injuries. He's had several injuries with his hip. Even when Jimbo was there, he had an injury with his core in his leg and a shoulder injury too. The kid was just snakebitten it seemed at times with injuries. Then this was probably the most he played at FSU this past year where it seemed like he was getting into the rotation. Then I think he got banged up a little bit with a concussion, so it was just more of the same where the kid just had bad luck.

But he's 6-foot-5, the kid has big-time wheels. Really, he's got a lot of talent. It just seemed like he was snakebitten every time just getting burned by injuries. But he came out of high school highly regarded. He played both defensive back and receiver and was five-star out of Clearwater, Fla. They were really high on him, but it was just one of those situations where he never got a chance to really show what he can do because he was banged up.

BWI: Have his hands been a problem spot for him?

ML: Yeah, that's his big bugaboo.

BWI: Seems important for a receiver.

ML: It is, but the thing is, that's been a thing all the way when he played at East Lake. Then when he got to FSU, it was like sometimes he makes great catches, and it's almost like the easier the catch, he'd lose his focus a little bit. One instance was the Virginia Tech game, their first game of the year: He got big-time separation, he had a sure touchdown, and then it just dropped out of his hands. But that's been the bugaboo with him has been the hands and consistency. I think it's a lack of focus because he didn't have that much of a problem with that in high school. It was a little bit, but I just think the kid just loses concentration sometimes and focus and he just doesn't focus enough on it.

And not to bash the coach that was there when he was there, Lawrence Dawsey was his receivers coach for much of his career, and I don't think he got a lot of development there that you would hope he'd get. But I think that was kind of a thing, but I think the hands were the biggest question mark with him because you'll see, if you watch any FSU game where he played, he gets very good separation. It's just finishing the play and finishing the play and his hands are what, to go along with the injuries, just limited him from making the impact that a lot of people thought he would get.

BWI: He sounds a lot like the kid he's basically replacing in Juwan Johnson, who had high expectations for his junior year this past season, but he just couldn't catch the ball.

ML: And that's been kind of his problem. He's a very good kid. Super kid, never was in trouble, never had to worry about anything with him. Separation was very good in high school, and in college, it was there, it's just the hands, man. It just killed him.

BWI: You just touched on it, but in terms of character, Penn State has a very young room and so he'll be an older guy in the room. Do you have any feel for that side of things and if he can be a good influence on the younger receivers?

ML: I think he won't have problems adjusting to whatever they run at Penn State and being a leader. He's not really a vocal guy all the time, he's just a guy who is going to work hard. You don't have to worry about him as far as work ethic. He's a very good kid, never, ever was in trouble coming out of high school or even in his time at FSU. He was a good teammate from all the examples I've heard. He's not going to be a rah-rah guy that is going to get everyone fired up, but I think a big part of his success at Penn State is going to be his confidence. If he can solve the drops and he can experience some success early on at Penn State, obviously stay healthy which he's had a hard time doing.

If he can do both of those things, I think this kid could have a solid career there, it's just the main thing is his confidence. It rolls. It was like a snowball effect; when he had one drop, a few more would follow. The previous coaches that were there, they always spoke very highly of George, and they can't say it but I think they were ultimately rooting for a guy like George because they knew how hard he works. He does everything right and he's one of the best guys in practice. And that's another thing with George, in practice he's very good and in games, he has that lack of focus that has hurt him. But off the field, I have never heard anything bad about George at all.

BWI: Maybe a change of scenery will do the trick for him?

ML: It might be. I think confidence is going to be really the biggest thing for him. I think a few big catches - it doesn't even have to be a big game, it can be a nobody team they play - and just have a big moment or something to break through. Because he was starting to get that a little bit at FSU early on and then had a few plays and his career has been marred by several injuries.

So confidence will be a big part of his success at Penn State. Some early big plays for him I think is going to be a world of difference. The thing he didn't ever have to worry about at FSU was being the main guy because they always had guys that were there, stepping up. But now with Penn State, he knows he has to be one of the guys. They don't have a lot of guys they can turn to. So I think that might help along with a change of scenery. Not desperation, but a guy they need to count on.

BWI: Any final thoughts?

ML: Super kid. I've known him since he was a freshman out of East Lake and he's always been a tremendous kid. I felt bad for him because it was just one injury after another with that kid and he could just never get his feet wet to get going. It was the injuries and it was the drops. He was mainly a gunner on special teams because he can get down the field. He can make tackles. He played defensive back out of high school and a lot of teams actually liked him as a defensive back because he's very long and athletic.

I think the one thing that will jump out at fans when they first see George is obviously his size, his height, and his length. He's got a long wingspan, and I think the separation he gets will really jump out at them. He didn't do much punt returning. If the guy is having trouble catching the ball, I don't think you want him returning punts.

But I think a lot of times with guys that struggle with their hands, maybe get some different scenery, you gain confidence, and I think that's really the thing with George. He's gotta gain confidence, get it back. Because when he came out of high school he was expecting big things early on and I think it just got derailed immediately when he got hurt and after that, it was just repetitive. But as a kid, I think the world of him as a person. He's got some talent, it's just what can you get from him?