Jack Campbell, LB Iowa: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Campbell was a three-star recruit from Cedar Falls High School in Cedar Falls, Iowa in the class of 2019

Senior Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell is one of the most accomplished college players at his position in recent history. He’s a throwback-style defender who looks comfortable in zone coverage but struggles in man-to-man. Campbell projects as a top-80 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

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Jack Campbell, LB Iowa: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Senior inside linebacker from Cedar Falls, Iowa

Background: Campbell was a three-star recruit from Cedar Falls High School in Cedar Falls, Iowa in the class of 2019. He was the No. 662 recruit according to 247Sports and No. 724 for On3.com. Campbell was an unranked three-star recruit for Rivals and an unranked three-star recruit for ESPN with a 77 grade out of 100. As a high school senior, he was named to the Des Moines Register Elite 8 and All-Iowa Elite All-State Team. Campbell was voted captain of the Class 4A All-State Team. He was a First-Team All-District selection and the District Defensive Player of the Year. He made the All-Metro Team and earned the Golden Hammer Award as top defensive player on his prep team. The Des Moines Register granted him First-Team All-State honors as a junior. Campbell earned Second-Team All-District and All-Metro honors as a sophomore. He lettered three times and helped Cedar Falls reach the state playoffs as a junior and senior. Campbell holds the school’s records for tackles in a season (168) and career (338). He amassed 168 tackles, including 12.5 for loss with five sacks, five passes defensed, two blocked kicks, and a defensive touchdown as a senior. Campbell produced 111 tackles, including eight for loss with five sacks, five passes defensed, an interception, and a fumble recovery as a junior. He tallied 59 tackles, including six for loss with a sack, as a sophomore. Campbell was a team captain as a junior and senior. He also lettered in basketball and track. Campbell was born on August 22, 2000. 

Injuries & Off-Field: Missed part of 2022 spring practices with a knee injury

Awards: 2020, 2021, & 2022 Academic All-Big Ten, 2021 First-Team All-Big Ten (Media), 2021 Third-Team All-Big Ten (Coaches), 2021 Second-Team All-American (FWAA), 2022 First-Team All-Big Ten, 2022 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, 2022 First-Team All-American, 2022 Dick Butkus Award Winner, 2022 William V. Campbell Trophy Winner

Pros: Special teams experience split between the kick return, kick coverage, punt return, punt coverage, and field goal block units, over half a dozen total career special teams tackles, throwback height and weight but with high-end athletic testing, communicates to and coordinates with teammates mid-play, high motor, nose for the football, quick processor, excellent patience and angles to the football, limited number of false steps in run defense, scrapes down the back of the offensive line to the ball carrier, balanced and sure tackler, stabs the tackle’s chest and holds position to survey the ball carrier, some instances of stacking climbing linemen and shedding their blocks, ideal range in zone, awareness of his responsibilities and help in zone, bumps tight ends off their routes, reads the QB’s eyes

Cons: Arm length, not twitchy or sudden, wish he was more explosive, limited open field speed and closing burst, lacks recovery speed, hip tightness limits snappy change of direction skills, occasionally sucked downhill by play action and RPOs, not immune to filling the wrong gap in run defense, strung out horizontally by tight end blocks in the run game, can’t play through offensive linemen, Ohio State (2022) tackles gave him everything he could handle when climbing, block deconstruction is inconsistent, lacks sideline-to-sideline range, limited natural feel and upside as a blitzer, slow backpedal, minimal use in man coverage, unlikely to be a plus in man coverage

Overview: Campbell took official measurements at the NFL Combine. He’s 6045 and weighs 249 lbs. He has 10 2/8-inch hands, 31 7/8-inch arms, and a 78 2/8-inch wingspan. Campbell served as a team captain for Iowa in 2021 and 2022. He has special teams experience split between the kick return, kick coverage, punt return, punt coverage, and field goal block units. Campbell is in the mold of a throwback linebacker. He tested well at the NFL Combine, but those athletic testing numbers don’t always translate to the field. Campbell is the quarterback of the defense, communicating and coordinating with his team pre- and post-snap. He’s a high motor player with a nose for the football. The senior is a quick processor who plays with patience, which makes him a balanced and sure tackler. He has the upper body strength to stab the tackle’s chest and hold his ground while peaking through the gap. Despite Campbell’s short arms, there are some instances of him stacking climbing linemen and shedding their blocks. He has ideal range and awareness in zone. Campbell reroutes tight ends with his physicality. He reads the quarterback’s eyes to close off throwing lanes in zone coverage. Unfortunately, he’s highly inexperienced in man coverage and lacks the athletic profile to stick with modern tight ends. The Iowa native isn’t twitchy or sudden. He lacks explosiveness compared to other linebackers in the 2023 class. Campbell has limited open field speed, closing burst, and recovery speed. He’s physically limited by short arms and tight hips that sap his change of direction skills. The All-American is occasionally sucked downhill by play action and RPOs. He’s an excellent run defender but isn’t immune to filling the wrong gap. He’s strung out horizontally by tight end blocks in the run game and struggles to play through offensive linemen. Campbell’s block deconstruction is inconsistent. He lacks true sideline-to-sideline range.

Overall, Campbell is an accomplished, respected college veteran who excels flowing downhill against the run and playing the quarterback’s eyes in zone coverage. His tape isn’t as impressive as his athletic testing, which means his speed, movement skills, and fluidity aren’t suited for high doses of man coverage. However, his processing speed and on-field communication can help cover for those deficiencies.

Role & Scheme Fit: Starting MIKE linebacker

Round Projection: Late Second to Mid Third

Player Comparison: N/A

Submitted: 04-15-23