2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Jack Campbell





  • Jack Campbell, 6-5/246

  • Linebacker

  • Iowa


  • Jack Campbell Scouting Report
    By Charlie Campbell

    Strengths:
  • Instincts
  • Excellent run defender
  • Quick to the sideline
  • Good tackler
  • Hard hitter
  • Very physical
  • Will take on blocks
  • Can shed blocks and make tackles
  • Tall but plays with good leverage
  • Diagnosis skills
  • Read-and-react skills
  • Fits a 4-3 or 3-4 defense
  • Always around the ball
  • Quick to the flat
  • Closing speed
  • Rangy
  • Advanced pass-coverage linebacker
  • Can help cover against tight ends and running backs
  • Can drop into zone coverage
  • Good vision in zone
  • Disrupts passing lanes
  • Excellent length in pass coverage
  • Strong, thick build
  • Big linebacker; imposing presence
  • Played on special teams as well
  • Durable




  • Weaknesses:
  • Lacks elite speed
  • Quality athleticism, but not supremely so


  • Summary: The Iowa program under Kirk Ferentz is known to produce a lot of tough football players. They come into the NFL with a blue-collar style that is known for physicality, good fundamentals, and polish. Campbell will continue that tradition in the 2023 NFL Draft after he was an excellent linebacker for Iowa over the past few seasons. He broke out in 2021, amassing 140 tackles, a sack, forced fumble, two interceptions and five passes broken up. Campbell then stayed consistent as a senior in 2022, recording 125 tackles, one pass batted, one sack, one forced fumble and two interceptions. One of the interceptions was a phenomenal play against Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud.

    As a linebacker, Campbell is the complete package. He has very good instincts and is very fast at reading his keys to get in position to make plays. Despite being tall for the positon, Campbell plays with good leverage and does not stand up too high. Campbell is a tough box linebacker who displays the strength to take on blocks, shed offensive linemen, and make tackles. Campbell smartly recognizes what offenses are trying to do, and he is disruptive even when he isn’t making tackles. In the ground game, Campbell is very consistent and tough, helping to shut down rushing offenses. He is a very good run defender and projects to be an asset to help produce favorable down-and-distance situations for his NFL defense.



    For pass coverage, Campbell is a skilled defender as well. He reads plays quickly and covers a lot of ground in zone. His height and length make him valuable for interrupting passing lanes, and that could be seen in how he picked off C.J. Stroud. Campbell’s quickness and length also help him run down the middle seam, and he functions well as a Tampa 2 coverage linebacker. On dump off passes to the flat, Campbell is fast enough to get to the ball-carrier and does a nice job of making tackles in space. Campbell’s size and athleticism give him the potential to play some man coverage on tight ends and backs out of the backfield.

    Multiple NFL team sources believe if Campbell runs fast times at the combine and in pre-draft workouts, he could sneak into the first round of the 2023 NF Draft. If Campbell does not go in Round 1, he is likely to go in the Round 2 and won’t fall out of Round 3.



    Player Comparison: Luke Kuechly. Campbell has a similar playing style to what Kuechly brought. Campbell is a poor man’s version, however, as he is not as fast and athletic as Kuechly and displays lesser instincts. Still, Campbell can make some plays that are reminiscent of Kuechly. Campbell could be a lesser version of Kuechly in the NFL, which means a very good starter given that Kuechly probably belongs in the Hall of Fame.






    RELATED LINKS:


    2023 NFL Mock Draft: Charlie’s | Walt’s


    2023 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings


    2023 NFL Draft Scouting Reports








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