PFF College’s latest Big 12 receiver rankings put a Colorado newcomer near the top of the board, and Ernest Campbell landed right in the middle of the conversation at No. 5.
The list tracks the highest-graded returning wide receivers in the conference, and it is packed with transfer names. Campbell, now with the Buffaloes, checks in at 85.9.
Only Josh Derry of UCF (89.9), Jalen Jones of Texas Tech (89.6), Wyatt Young of Oklahoma State (80.0), and Lorenzo Fenner of Cincinnati (87.3) are listed ahead of him. Behind Campbell are Omari Hayes of Iowa State (83.6), Miles Coleman of Oklahoma State (81.1), Cade Wolford of Cincinnati (80.3), Donte Lee Jr. of Texas Tech (80.2), and Amare Thomas of Houston (79.2).
What stands out most about the group is how much movement there has been. Nine of the 10 receivers on the list are playing for different schools than they were last season. The lone exception is Amare Thomas, who remains at Houston in 2026 after being there in 2025.
Campbell’s move to Boulder is one of four wide receiver additions Colorado made through the portal for the 2026 season. He arrives after a 2025 season at Sacramento State, where he put together a breakout year for the Hornets.
At 5-9 and 145 pounds, Campbell is undersized by FBS standards, but his speed is the trait that jumps off the page. He has already taken part in multiple track events for Colorado, and that burst showed up repeatedly on the football field.
His track background has been a big part of his profile for years. In high school, Campbell won the 2023 Texas Class 2A 100 meter title in 10.22 seconds. He signed with Texas A&M as part of its 2024 recruiting class and was rated a three-star football recruit.
His first college football season with the Aggies was quiet. Campbell appeared in one game as a freshman, while also starring on the track. He posted a personal best of 10.02 seconds in the 100 meters at Texas A&M, used his football redshirt in 2024, and then entered the portal before landing at Sacramento State.
That move paid off on the field. Campbell led the Hornets in 2025 with 37 catches for 755 yards and eight touchdowns. His big-play ability was obvious: five of those eight scores came on receptions of 50 yards or more, and his longest touchdown catch went for 75 yards.
There is also a familiar connection waiting for him in Boulder. Campbell played for Brennan Marion at Sacramento State, and Marion is now Colorado’s offensive coordinator. Marion spent one season with the Hornets in 2025 and guided them to a 7-5 record.
That shared background should give Colorado a head start with Campbell already knowing Marion’s system.
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