On300 2025 DL target Javeon Campbell on Michigan interest: ‘They know how to develop you’

Earlier this month, Michigan pulled the trigger on On300 Frankfort (Ky.) Western Hills defensive lineman Javeon Campbell, On3‘s No. 1 overall prospect in Kentucky this cycle.

“It feels really good because they’re the national champions,” Campbell told The Wolverine. “That’s really great. It gives you a great feeling that a national championship team wants you to play for them.”

Having played only one year of organized football, Campbell is still getting acclimated to the sport, including his familiarity with programs at the next level. So in the games he watched during Michigan’s 15-0 run last season, Campbell was impressed.

“You could tell when they got on the field that they wanted it bad,” Campbell said.

Campbell is also interested in Michigan’s recent history of defensive line development, with two future first-round NFL Draft picks currently on the roster.

“It really just shows that they know how to develop you, know how to get you to even a farther level, and just a really great program in general,” Campbell said.

Campbell lived in Detroit before moving to Kentucky but had never experienced Ann Arbor. But two months ago, he traveled north for his first-ever visit to Michigan. At the time, the program was holding spring camp practice.

“It’s really the culture part because we got there and everybody had their shoes a certain way. They just do everything a certain way,” Campbell said. “You can just tell by their culture. It’s crazy stuff in there. They have their weights a certain way. They have this big staircase.”

The visit from Campbell happened before Michigan hired new defensive line coach Lou Esposito, who pulled the trigger on offering the junior when he recently stopped by Western Hills.

“Coach Espo, he’s a great guy,” Campbell said. “He came down here and watched us during spring ball. He was a great guy. We text here and there, talking to him. He knows what he’s talking about. He knows what he’s doing. He’s just a great guy in general.”

As Campbell continues to build a relationship with Esposito, he’s also becoming familiar with new defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale, who’s been involved in this recruitment since being hired by head coach Sherrone Moore.

The opportunity to play in a defensive scheme that was invented by Martindale while with the Baltimore Ravens has piqued Campbell’s interest.

“That’s really impressive,” Campbell said. “Being able to coach at a higher level, and he sees me able to play there and just be a really good player. That’s really awesome. That’s absolutely insane. I just got a really good feeling about that.”

Currently, Campbell has official visits set up to Miami (May 31-June 2), Kentucky (June 7-9), Auburn (June 10-12), Alabama (June 14-16), and Georgia (June 21-23). A commitment date has yet to be finalized.

“Really what it feels like to be down there because I’m going to be down there for a couple of years playing football, and I just want to see how it feels,” Campbell said. “It comes (down to) the coaches and just the environment, really. The education part of it, too, of course. But that’s really I’m going to try to take that in and figure that out.”

Should Michigan earn an official visit from Campbell, it would occur in-season, a trip he’s seriously considering.

“Really just the city in general, just outside the facility, what it would look like and all that,” Campbell said.

At 6-foot-5, 260 pounds, Campbell is also listed as the No. 135 overall prospect and the No. 12 defensive lineman in the country, according to On3.

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