The 2026 recruiting trail is heating up. The one to stir the pot is the 4-star uncommitted wide receiver, Chase Campbell. Hailing from Frenship High School in Wolfforth, Texas, Campbell is ranked as the 131st overall player nationally. Taking his position into consideration, the wide receiver is the 18th-best and the 15th-best player in Texas. So, one can guess the craze of the programs to bring Campbell home.
Right now it’s a 3-way Big 12 battle that’s brewing. Analyst Hunter Shelton dropped a big update on Campbell. “Frenship (Texas) 4-star WR Chase Campbell is working toward a summer decision and he now has a top three. Baylor, Kansas State and Texas Tech made the cut for one of the nation’s top uncommitted pass-catchers.” So, right now, Joey McGuire, Chris Klieman, and Dave Aranda are locking horns.
Hailing from Lubbock, Texas, we can guess who is on the edge in the Campbell race. Has to be McGuire and the Red Raiders. Reports say they were the first ones to jump into the race and extend the offer to their in-state recruit as an underclassman. And the head coach did not steer the wooing process alone. He got the support from his position coach, Justin Johnson, and coordinator Mack Leftwich, who actively took part in winning Campbell’s heart. The clock’s ticking as the wide receiver recruit is going to reveal his college decision on July 22, Tuesday. And where does Texas Tech stand in its efforts to bring Campbell home?
Credits: Chase Campbell Twitter
“Being the first to offer me, they believed in me — and that’s a big part of why they’re up there. Knowing they have top-notch facilities, top-notch people and that there are people who have done it from Tech — I wouldn’t have to go too far to be able to play good football playing in the Big 12,” shared the wide receiver. The Red Raiders already have three commitments in the month of July, with a hunt as big as 5-star OT Felix Ojo.
Yet Campbell is keeping McGuire awake as he has been viewed as one of the fastest receivers in the 2026 cycle, using his success in track where he ran a 22.25 in the 200-meter. Other than Campbell’s speedy legs, the desperation is real for Texas Tech as they have only one wide receiver commit, 3-star Imari Jehiel, in the 2026 cycle. So, McGuire now stands on the edge as he sees his Big 12 rivals trying to melt Campbell’s heart.
The Big 12 fight to win the Chase Campbell sweepstakes heats up
The next up in line is Klieman’s Kansas State. They have added a notable name to their coaching roster. It’s none other than the former Texas Tech head coach Matt Wells who will be calling plays. And Campbell has now fallen under Wells’ radar. That’s because the coach shares a longstanding bond with Campbell and his family. This, in turn, keeps the Wildcats’ hope burning bright to lock in the wide receiver. Along with this, Klieman and his assistant Matthew Middleton did not leave any stones unturned when it came to the vibe check.
They made Manhattan very attractive for the top-100 recruit. And the efforts did not go unacknowledged. As Campbell shared his review about the Wildcats squad, “I like what Coach Klieman has going on up there. Coach Wells and I had a prior relationship — and he has shown a lot of love from an offensive coordinator standpoint that’s not usual. Coach Middleton and I have a good relationship. They’ve shown I’m a priority to them and I love what they have going on up there.” Amidst all these sincere efforts, we must not forget about the Baylor Bears. Dave Aranda’s 2026 class not only has talented players, but also a weird coincidence.
They have four ‘Jamarion’ commits. Four-star defensive lineman Jamarion Carlton, four-star cornerback Jamarion Vincent, three-star linebacker Jamarion Phillips, and three-star cornerback Jamarion Richardson. Other than this, they are now making the headlines for their efforts to lock in Chase Campbell. The one who is on the steering wheel is their wide receivers coach, Dallas Baker. As Campbell shared, “Coach Baker is a great guy and I’ve had a good relationship with him for a while. He has a great history with football and with coaching — and that’s what puts Baylor in that top group. He’s done it before — he’s played at the highest level. Our relationship has grown very strong. He’s helped me a lot as a player and a person.” All eyes are on July 22, when Campbell finally picks his 2026 destination. Who’s getting the prize?
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