Middle Linebacker Jack Campbell out of the University of Iowa is a cerebral yet physical throwback of a player who utilizes both of the aforementioned traits to define his game. A well decorated player, Campbell earned 1st-Team AP All-American, Big-10 Defensive Player of the Year, and Dick Butkus Award honors, given to the best linebacker in the nation. He is a fearless bruiser of a linebacker who will not hesitate to put his nose in the grindstone. In 2022, Campbell had 128 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss, placing himself in the mix to possibly be the first true stand-up linebacker to be taken in this year’s draft.
A true box linebacker, Campbell is a magnet for action, as he has great intuition and feel for all blocking schemes. His communication with other players on defense is impeccable, making him a prime candidate for the green-dot. His strength and power give him the upper hand against most lead blockers in the run game, stifling and neutralizing them with great veracity. Additionally, Campbell earned the 2022 William V. Campbell Award, which is given to the top academic collegiate athlete in the nation– an award that is a direct reflection on how he approaches the game on the field, displaying mastery-level knowledge of his defensive scheme and applying it on any given game day.
Campbell’s long legs and frame make it difficult for him to execute man-coverage in passing situations, also making it difficult for him to change directions on the field when needed.
If the Raiders value having a cerebral, physical, intuitive linebacker who can likely be given the green dot to orchestrate Patrick Graham’s defense, Jack Campbell is someone who must be selected at #38 overall. However, picking Campbell at #38 might be a slight reach, so, if necessary, engineering a trade to move up in between #38 and #70-overall would be ideal. To be continued.
