Usually a fifth-year senior from a Power Five school isn’t making a first impression on a draft evaluator.

Don’t tell that to ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr., who took a little while to get around to watching Minnesota linebacker De’Vondre Campbell. But when he did, he had rave reviews.

“I liked him. I went back and I watched him…people kind of overlooked him a bit,” Kiper said of Campbell on ESPN’s First Draft podcast. “He’s got the length, he’s got the speed, he’s an athletic linebacker. I like his instincts, I like the way he played. In fact, I thought he surprised me in a couple games with the way he played.”

Fellow draft expert Todd McShay interjected.

“I haven’t looked at his tape yet. I’m excited,” he said. “You’re getting me all fired up to watch.”

And Kiper continued to praise Campbell.

“I wouldn’t be shocked to see him go in the third round. It wouldn’t surprise me at all. Maybe late-two, early-to-mid three,” Kiper said. “I think De’Vondre Campbell showed an awful lot to people this year and soared up the draft board.”

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After finishing third on the Gophers in tackles, Campbell certainly helped himself at the combine. He recorded the ninth-best vertical jump among linebackers and he ran a 4.58-second 40-yard dash, which ranked third among all linebackers in Indianapolis.

It remains to be seen if NFL teams view Campbell with the same projection that Kiper does.

On NFL.com, the All-B1G honorable mention selection is still graded as a developmental prospect while CBSSports.com has a fifth-round grade on Campbell.

If front offices see what Kiper does in Campbell, he won’t have to wait that long come draft day.