2023 NFL Draft Profile: LB Jack Campbell

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• Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell, by nature of his heady play, would normally fit in the mold of a typical Iowa defender. However, looking beyond preconceived notions, you will see an intriguing prospect. The six-foot-five, 249-pound inside linebacker is, and plays big for three downs. The Cedar Falls product waited two seasons, in order to make his presence felt for the Hawkeyes. As a three-year starter, Campbell tallied 299 tackles, five interceptions, and three forced fumbles. As a result, the Enterprise Leadership major won the Butkus Award given to the nation’s top linebacker. Also, Campbell nabbed the Nagurski and Campbell awards along with a unanimous All-American selection.

Strengths

Campbell possesses above-average comprehension and key-reading inside of an above-average frame. A throwback to linebackers of eras gone by, the Iowa product uses long limbs in a multitude of ways. First, he discards blocks without allowing blockers inside of his reach. Next, that wide tackle radius, really never takes him out of plays. Lastly, as a blitzer, Campbell uses those hands to swipe or swat hands away. Meanwhile, dropping into coverage, the prospect shows a knack for handling underneath routes, reading the play away from him and across his fast. Most importantly, Campbell plays middle linebacker the way it needs to be. He doesn’t drag and tackle. Instead, there is a technical pop, wrap, and drive.

Weaknesses

If you are looking for a player to trail and stay with a tight end down the seem, Campbell is not your player. If you watch the film, you can feel a reticence to venture beyond that five to seven-yard buffer zone In this case, excellent processing can be a curse as the player can read accurately, and understand what will happen, but not feel confident enough to play man versus a faster target. The only other issue feels like a problem with blitzing. Granted, Campbell will occasionally get home, but too often, he becomes entangled in the mire of blitzing where bodies obstruct his path to the quarterback. Coaches will need to see a bit more rush diversity.

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Ideal Role

For NFL teams, Campbell presents a player with a skill set that can be adapted to various schemes. In a 3-4, Campbell functions as an inside linebacker who could see occasional reps as a WILL ‘backer but looks better suited to the MIKE. The prospect would clean up between tackles and roam the short areas in front of the line of scrimmage and flats. On the other hand, Campbell also fits the 4-3 where he would lead a traditional 4-3 defense, where he’d wear the green dot. In this scheme, the prospect would be responsible for roaming across the field, sideline to sideline, involving himself in every single play.

Potential Fits

In all honesty, two teams immediately jump out when considering Jack Campbell. First, the Detroit Lions need a sense of identity. An NFC North team, in the shadows of cold winter and defensive football. While he needs to play many successful seasons, could Jack Campbell be a Chris Spielman? Dan Campbell (no relation) drives his teams hard. They embody his physical style. On the other hand, the New England Patriots could give Bill Belichick a hard-nosed player as he coached in Gary Reasons. The Patriots have struggled to find themselves defensively. A player like Jcak Campbell could be the start of the move back to prominence.