2023 NFL Draft Prospects: Inside Linebacker

4/24/23: Sources from around the league really like Campbell and think he will go late in the first or very early in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. They call him a taller version of Chad Muma. In 2022, Campbell collected 125 tackles, one pass broken up, one sack, one forced fumble, and a superb interception off of C.J. Stroud. Campbell then helped himself with an excellent workout at the combine. While his 40 time was good, but not great, his field workout was very good. Campbell also illustrated impressive intelligence in the team interviews. Some teams picking late in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft have Campbell in the running for their pick. He is the consensus top non-pass rushing linebacker in the 2023 NFL Draft.

7/8/22: Campbell was a tackling machine for the Hawkeyes in 2021 with 140 tackles, a sack, one forced fumble, two interceptions and five passes defensed. He is a large linebacker with the height and size to function in the tackle box. If Campbell covers well, he could rise.

4/24/23: In 2022, Henley recorded 106 tackles, four sacks, three forced fumbles, a pass broken up and an interception. He is a tough defender with speed and playmaking ability. Henley looks like a future three-down starter. At the Senior Bowl, Henley helped himself with a strong week of practice. He flew fast to the ball and showed the speed and athleticism to cover.

7/8/22: In 2021, Henley notched 94 tackles, four interceptions and three passes defended while playing for Nevada. The redshirt senior transferred to Washington State for 2022. Henley has quality size, and he could be a riser if he shows good pass-coverage skills against the Pac-12 competition.

4/24/23: Simpson notched 73 tackles, two forced fumbles, 2.5 sacks and three passes batted in 2022. He then decided to enter the 2023 NFL Draft. Team sources say they like Simpson’s size and speed, which remind some evaluators of Panthers linebacker/safety Jeremy Chinn. They feel Simpson might be a better safety/linebacker flex defender, like Chinn. While Simpson has a first-round skill set, his play on the field was second-day caliber.

7/7/22: Simpson played well in 2020, recording 28 tackles, four sacks and one forced fumble. In 2021, Simpson recorded 65 tackles, six sacks and two passes broken up. He has a ton of ability, plus excellent size to go along with quickness and athleticism.

4/24/23: Overshown totaled 95 tackles, four sacks and five passes broken up in 2022. Team sources said Overshown showed improvement as a senior. They like his speed and how hard he plays. Overshown could be a second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

7/8/22: Overshown recorded 74 tackles, two passes broken up and two sacks in 2021. He put together an impressive game against Oklahoma. Overshown broke out in 2020 with 60 tackles, one sack, two forced fumbles, two interceptions and seven passes defended.

Overshown has serious speed and athleticism to fly around the field and make plays on the ball. Team sources say Overshown has starting potential, but he needs to get stronger and tougher for taking on blocks because there are plays on tape where he gets blasted by offensive linemen. Adding power and weight could help him rise.

4/24/23: Team sources say To’oTo’o (6-0, 230) is a good athlete and very instinctive. They were impressed with the senior in 2022, saying he looked stronger, more physical, and better at taking on blocks. They feel that while there are always going to be physical concerns with To’oTo’o, he is fast, athletic, instinctive and tough. In the passing-driven modern-day NFL, he is a great fit for a Will linebacker. To’oTo’o recorded 94 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 2022.

7/8/22: To’oto’o was a solid run defender for Alabama overall in 2021. He totaled 111 tackles, four sacks, one forced fumble and two passes defended on the year. He had 76 stops, an interception and two passes broken up in 2020. For To’oto’o to rise, he needs to show more ability to drop into pass coverage.

4/24/23: Sewell notched 55 tackles, three pass breakups and 1.5 sacks in 2022. He was quiet and disappointing compared to the 2021 season. Perhaps Sewell was protecting himself, but he did not look like the same player.

7/8/22: Sewell was all over the field for the Ducks during the 2021 season, totaling 114 tackles, four sacks, one interception, five passes broken up and two forced fumbles. To go along with his production, Sewell is a big and imposing linebacker at 6-foot-3, 251 pounds. If he shows good pass-coverage skills, Sewell could rise in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

4/24/23: Baskerville is a fast, pursuit linebacker. He recorded 89 tackles, a sack, eight pass breakups and an interception in 2022.

7/8/22: In 2021, Baskerville collected 83 tackles, two sacks, an interception and three passes broken up. He was a decent linebacker next to Damone Clark, but Baskerville faces some limitations for the NFL. Baskerville recorded 55 tackles in 2020 while playing in a rotation with a number of other talented linebackers. He is a tough run defender who needs to show progress in pass coverage.

4/24/23: In 2022, Moore picked up 82 tackles, three passes broken up and three sacks.

7/8/22: Moore has been a solid defender for the Wolfpack over the last four seasons. He collected 43 stops, a sack, an interception and three passes defended over six games in 2021 before going down with a season-ending knee injury. In 2020, he had 94 tackles with three sacks and two passes broken up. If Moore comes back 100 percent and returns to his pre-injury form, he could be a nice value pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

4/24/23: Winters racked up 79 tackles, 7.5 sacks and a pass batted during 2022. He played well to close out the season.

7/7/22: Winters has been a solid run defender for TCU over the past few seasons. In 2021, he recorded 74 tackles, one sack, two interceptions and two passes defended. In 2020, he collected 65 tackles, two sacks and two passes batted. Showing pass-coverage skills as a senior would help Winters.

4/24/23: Jones totaled 54 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and one pass broken up in 2022.

7/8/22: Jones collected 63 tackles, a sack and two passes broken up in 2021. He had 35 tackles in each of the previous two seasons, plus totaled five sacks, five breakups and an interception over that time. Jones needs to be more productive as a senior to rise.

4/24/23: In 2022, Pappoe recorded 92 tackles, three passes defended, 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. Pappoe worked out well at the combine.

7/8/22: Pappoe recorded 23 tackles over five games in 2021 because he dealt with injuries throughout the season. In 2020, he had 93 tackles, four sacks, an interception and two passes broken up. The injuries and rehab carried into the spring of 2022, so Pappoe needs to stay healthy and productive as a senior to stay draft-able.

4/24/23: Muasau totaled 77 tackles, two interceptions, one sack and two passes broken up for UCLA in 2022.

7/8/22: Muasau has been a steady tackler and producer for the Rainbow Warriors over the past two seasons. In 2021, he amassed 108 tackles, seven sacks, five forced fumbles, an interception and four passes defended. During the previous season, he recorded 102 tackles, 4.5 sacks, an interception and a pass broken up. Muasauo is sleeper who could rise. He could help himself by standing out at an all-star game after the season.

4/24/23: Diabate picked up 58 tackles, five sacks and one pass defended during 2022. He was not impressive for the Utes.

7/8/22: Diabate was a decent defender for the Florida Gators in 2021, recording 89 tackles. In 2020, he had 67 tackles, an interception and 1.5 sacks. Diabate transferred to the Utes for 2022. He needs to improve his pass-coverage skills, and he looks like a potential backup linebacker and special teams contributor in the NFL.

4/24/23: Miller played well for the Gators in 2022, recording 75 tackles, two passes broken up and two forced fumbles. He is a physical and tough run defender, but faces speed, size, and athletic limitations for covering in the NFL.

7/8/22: Miller notched eight tackles in 2021 before tearing a biceps in the second game and going out for the season. Florida really missed him all year, and he has the potential to rise as a senior provided he can stay healthy. Miller dropped some weight compared to previous years and played faster in 2020. He totaled 86 tackles, three passes broken up and 3.5 sacks that season while flying around the field with his speed and physicality. As a redshirt sophomore in 2019, Miller totaled 55 tackles, three sacks and two interceptions.

Miller displays good instincts and sets a physical tone for the defense. If he can show more pass-coverage skills, that would help his draft grade tremendously.

4/24/23: Miller is a small-school player who played well enough for Jackson State to earn an invitation to the Senior Bowl. In 2022, Miller recorded 54 tackles, two sacks, three forced fumbles and three passes defended. It was his first season of decent production in college football.

4/24/23: Mangum-Farrar recorded 45 tackles and three passes defended in 2022.

7/8/22: In 2021, Mangum-Farrar recorded 41 tackles, a sack and a pass broken up. Mangum-Farrar has good size and the potential to rise if he produces more as a senior.