Packers’ biggest bombshell surprise from 2026 NFL training camp

Anthony Campbell arrived at Green Bay Packers training camp with a roster number, extraordinary length, and little evidence that he belonged in a crowded NFL defensive line rotation. Less than two weeks later, the former practice-squad addition has become the Packers’ most improbable summer success story.

Campbell was neither a highly regarded draft prospect nor an established young reserve awaiting an opportunity. The 6-foot-6, 307-pound defensive tackle went undrafted in 2025 after recording one tackle and half a sack across 56 defensive snaps during two seasons at Miami.

The Seattle Seahawks signed Campbell after the draft, waived him at the end of training camp, and briefly retained him on their practice squad. Green Bay did not add him until January 7, leaving him with no regular-season experience and only a short history inside the organization before this offseason.

His path to the roster appeared even narrower after the Packers strengthened their defensive interior. Devonte Wyatt, Karl Brooks, Warren Brinson, Nazir Stackhouse, and other returning players already occupied the room. Green Bay then signed veteran Javon Hargrave and used a third-round pick on Chris McClellan.

Campbell seemed to be competing for one of the final places on the depth chart. He has instead become one of the most disruptive defensive linemen in camp.

His breakout began with four batted passes over three practices, a remarkable stretch for a player who recorded only two pass breakups across 26 college games at Louisiana-Monroe and Miami. Campbell added a fifth deflection during Family Night at Lambeau Field, where he also pressured Kyle McCord into a throw that nearly became an interception.

Those deflections initially made Campbell an intriguing underdog. Everything else he has done has turned his emergence into a legitimate roster development.

Campbell chased Jordan Love out of the pocket during one practice, disrupted a running play, and produced a would-be sack. He later generated pressure against Tyrod Taylor and broke into the backfield against Kyron Drones. During the August 4 practice, Campbell won all four of his repetitions in the one-on-one pass-rushing drill. One week later, he helped stop a run near the line and participated in the defensive group used during Tuesday’s closing two-minute period.

The pattern matters more than any individual play. One batted pass can be an accident of positioning. Five across multiple practices reveal a player learning to convert his rare length into a repeatable weapon. The pressures, pass-rush victories, and run disruption show that his impact extends beyond standing at the line and raising his arms.

Campbell has benefited from injuries that limited Wyatt and Hargrave early in camp, but opportunity alone does not explain his ascent. Several defensive tackles received additional work. Campbell distinguished himself by consistently producing with the opportunities he received.

The unofficial depth chart still has the 25-year-old pass rusher listed near the bottom of Green Bay’s defensive interior. His practice performance, however, has elevated him from an overlooked camp body into a player the Packers now need to evaluate seriously during the preseason.

Cornerback Jaylin Simpson presents the strongest alternative for the biggest-surprise distinction. Simpson produced a circus interception on Family Night, broke up two passes during the next practice, and returned another interception approximately 100 yards for a touchdown Monday. He has earned second-team opportunities and praise from LaFleur after beginning camp on the roster bubble.

Brandon Cisse also warrants consideration after using Carrington Valentine’s hamstring injury to earn extensive first-team work. The rookie has consistently challenged established receivers and strengthened his case for a starting role.

Yet their success does not match Campbell’s surprise magnitude. Cisse was a second-round pick and the Packers’ first selection in the 2026 NFL draft. Simpson was a 2024 fifth-round pick who gained NFL game experience last season. Both possessed recognizable paths toward meaningful roles.

Campbell entered camp with almost no college production, no NFL regular-season snaps, and only a few months in Green Bay’s program. He faced a position group filled with returning contributors, a proven veteran addition, and a Day 2 draft pick. Merely surviving the competition would have represented progress.

Instead, he has become one of the Packers’ most persistent defensive playmakers.

Campbell has not secured a roster spot, and practice production must still translate against live preseason competition. His rise has nevertheless changed the terms of his evaluation. The Packers are no longer deciding whether an obscure developmental lineman deserves their attention. They must determine whether they can afford to leave him off the roster.

No Packers player has reshaped his outlook more dramatically this summer. Campbell entered camp fighting for relevance and now heads into the preseason with a legitimate chance to make the roster, making him Green Bay’s biggest surprise from 2026 NFL training camp.