So you're the Detroit Lions, and you've drafted Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell! Congratulations on a big (if, um, unpredictable) day here in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. You're sure to have questions, and we here at Go Iowa Awesome are here to answer them for you.
Is He Really A First-Round Linebacker?
Well, few draft pundits had Campbell going as high as 18th in the draft — he seemed like a near-consensus second-round pick with more of a chance to slip to the third than move up, especially this high.
That's projection of pro suitability, though — a terribly inexact science, as a look at any NFL draft ever would show. Meanwhile, Campbell is as good as anybody in the more concrete area of on-field production.
On one of the stingiest team defenses in college football over the last couple years, Campbell had 265 tackles as a starting middle linebacker — just under 10 tackles per game. Even as the team's second defender off this year's NFL draft board, Campbell was the captain and unquestioned vocal leader of the Iowa defense, and responsible for keeping that unit organized under legendary defensive coordinator Phil Parker's tutelage.
Accordingly, Campbell's list of awards as a senior are as impressive as any linebacker in recent years can claim:
Unanimous First-Team All-American (LB)
Butkus Award Winner (Best LB)
Nagurski-Woodson Defender of the Year (Big Ten)
Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year (Big Ten)
William V. Campbell Trophy (Scholar-athlete; the unofficial "Academic Heisman")
If Detroit was looking for someone to step into a leadership role on defense, it couldn't have made a better choice.
So What's He Good At?
Campbell is an imposing physical specimen at 6'5" and 249 pounds, and coming from a line-heavy division like the Big Ten West has prepared him to navigate NFL trenches inside the box and toward the sidelines.
His straight-line speed is a satisfactory 4.65 40 as registered at the Combine — not elite, obviously, but enough for him to close quickly on underneath routes or rushers trying to stretch to the sideline. Without blazing speed, that pursuit is helped immensely by his pre-snap recognition, which is on par with anyone available at MLB the draft... for the last several years.
And it makes sense: Iowa's defense wouldn't be top-5 if its middle linebacker didn't already know what was coming most of the time.
Even better, Campbell is one of the surest tacklers in the draft once he does get his hands on a ball-carrier. Seriously, it's like watching someone rope cattle — take hold, drop the hips and roll, and let physics handle the rest of the job.
What Needs Improving?
Campbell may be limited initially in the roles he can fill for the Lions on defense. Iowa rarely used him in pass rush, mostly because it never had to with teammates like Lukas Van Ness, Joe Evans and Zach Van Valkenberg terrorizing the edges at the same time. Campbell recorded a total of 9.0 TFL over his two years starting, but only two of those came on sacks; the rest were just solid reads or run blitzes for the tenacious defender.
Accordingly, expect Campbell to be used primarily in run support, where he'll be a plus asset on Day 1, and in short to medium zone assignments. He should be able to keep up with most tight ends and H-backs, but anything involving a tailback or slot receiver may get perilous — especially if the quarterback starts extending the play outside the pocket.
Still, heaving a wild throw near a player with Campbell's eyes and reactivity will not be a safe decision for desperate QBs on the run at the next level.
What's a Realistic Standard of Success For Him?
By picking Campbell on Day 1, a few dozen spots ahead of consensus, the expectations (and money) around the pick will ask a lot more of the rookie from Iowa than previously expected. Fair? Unfair? Hey, football's not about fair.
Still, Campbell trained with former Panthers great Luke Kuechly during the offseason, and he might have picked the best possible example to emulate. Obviously, Campbell can't be expected to match Kuechly's Hall-of-Fame level production, aspire as he might. But if Campbell's productivity exceeds his predecessor at Iowa — Denver 4th-round draft pick Josey Jewell, who's the Broncos' second-leading tackler in his two healthy seasons as starting RILB — he'll already be awfully close to putting his lofty draft capital to proper use.
Anything Else We Need to Know?
We weren't kidding about the vocal leadership, on or off the field. Campbell recently appeared on the NFL Network's Good Morning Football, and while there's nothing flashy about his appearance — similar to his game — he's unquestionably saying the right things at every opportunity, whether it's about his appreciation for his accolades, how he'll handle the locker room as a rookie, and even the hot debate of trash talk after fellow Hawkeye Caitlin Clark's NCAA tournament run.
In many ways, a last name like Campbell is fitting, because he's like a soup can: durable, no pizzazz, and more than good enough at a high velocity for knocking just about anybody down.
Enjoy, Detroit!
