Jack Campbell 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Background: 

• 2021 Defensive MVP that was named permanent team captain 

• 2021 First Team All-Big-Ten 
• Academic standout that lettered in basketball and track in high school 

System: 

• Scheme tendencies: 4-2-5 with some odd front looks 
• 2022 projected role: Second-year starting linebacker 

Pros: In a world where linebackers are getting smaller, Jack Campbell has a throwback frame that was engineered for serving as a downhill second-level defender in the NFL. I like how he leverages gaps and fits the run. Campbell is sufficient with shallow zone coverage drops and buzzing down in the flats—he holds his own as a hook/curl/flats defender in coverage. He has experience in all phases of special teams. Campbell is a mostly secure tackler with good hitting power. 

Cons: Jack Campbell is guilty of playing reps through a straw and doesn’t demonstrate ideal spatial awareness when navigating through traffic. His angles can be hit or miss—he’s often too aggressive and doesn’t arrive to the football on schedule. His range is modest against the run and in coverage. He’s an active defender that is usually around the ball but his pursuit effort can be passive at times. For a linebacker of his stature, I expected more consistent block deconstruction ability; I didn’t find him getting out-physicaled when addressing blocks but he needs to develop more technique for stacking and shedding. He’s a bit high-hipped, which takes away from his ability to flip his hips, transition, and change directions.

Jack Campbell NFL Draft Scouting Report by Joe Marino