Bucs Draft Prospect Highlight: ILB Jihaad Campbell | Pewter Report

Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell doesn’t issue into the Bucs’ present season. The 2024 season shouldn’t be over, and the Bucs are within the thick of a playoff and divisional title race. If the considered looking forward to 2025 irks you, please again out of this web page now.

However for those who can concurrently respect the joys of significant December/January soccer whereas additionally getting excited for the promise of constructing on an already robust roster…then welcome!

The Bucs at the moment have a number of areas of their roster that would use some bolstering within the offseason. It’s not far-fetched to assume inside linebacker will probably be one particular space they’re hoping to construct out.

Bucs ILB Lavonte David – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR

This yr’s linebacking corps has relied closely on future Ring of Honor inductee Lavonte David. David, for his half has performed nicely contemplating the truth that he turns 35 in a couple of weeks, however can also be beginning to present indicators of age-related decline. He additionally shouldn’t be beneath contract for 2025 and will very nicely retire after this yr.

Fellow starter Ok.J. Britt can also be a free agent after this yr and isn’t a lock to be a precedence for the group to re-sign. The Bucs had hopes that 2023 fifth-round decide SirVocea Dennis may present significant snaps as a late-down go protection specialist. However an early season harm that put him on injured reserve all season has left his future as a centerpiece for the protection unsure.

Between Dennis’ lack of enjoying time and total harm issues the group can’t rely on him to be “the” reply at linebacker subsequent yr. He might be part of a gaggle of “possible” solutions. However he’s removed from a lock to be a starter.

The Bucs had been reluctant to show to former undrafted free agent J.J. Russell regardless of Britt’s struggles all through the season. He’s coming off of a really superior recreation towards the Chargers, however inconsistency, restricted athleticism and a scarcity of belief means Tampa Bay more than likely doesn’t see him as a key piece of the longer term.

The draft is a possible supply of recent expertise for this place group. Enter Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell.

Alabama ILB Jihaad Campbell – 6-3 • 244
By The Numbers

Alabama ILB Jihaad Campbell – Picture by: USA At the moment

Jihaad Campbell is a 1.5-year starter within the SEC towards among the high competitors in school. He was Alabama’s main tackler this season with 83 solo tackles and 19 assisted tackles in response to Professional Soccer Focus. What’s most spectacular concerning the junior is whenever you take a look at the dearth of missed tackles. He had simply six missed tackles in 2024 to match his six from the yr prior.

Together with his enhance in quantity, he lowered his spectacular 8.45% missed sort out fee in 2023 to an much more diabolical 5.56% this yr. Campbell was additionally in a position to nearly double his cease fee from 10.55% to 18.69% this yr. He had two pressured fumbles this yr and 17 pressures, together with seven sacks, as a go rusher on simply 94 go rush reps. That was adequate for an 18.09% strain fee.

In protection he allowed 24 catches for 170 yards on 30 targets over 320 protection reps. That works out to an 80% catch fee, 7.1 yards per catch and 0.53 yards per protection rep. Campbell added an interception and two go breakups to his tally as nicely. Hudl has him credited with a complete of 26 influence performs, that are performs that stand out as a solo sort out, strain, go breakup, run disruption or was focused on an unsuccessful play.

Campbell’s Professional Soccer Focus profile exhibits him to be a jack-of-all-trades, grasp of none. He doesn’t grade above an 80.0 in any single side of the sport, however he scores persistently above common within the mid-to-high 70’s as a run defender, go rusher in addition to in protection. Enjoying for a pro-like program in Alabama additionally implies that he had extra obligations than the typical school linebacker and his transition to the professionals will more than likely have much less of a studying curve.

Campbell on Tape

Watching Jihaad Campbell, I really feel there may be one space of his recreation that jumps out greater than others. He has essentially the most superior really feel as a go rusher. And this extends additional than him coming late as an add-on rusher, or as a mugged-up ‘backer on a strain scheme. Alabama used him as a real edge on a handful of performs this yr and so they had been a few of his greatest reps.

I’m absolutely on the Jihaad Campbell to edge practice

Take a look at that bend… https://t.co/bQYSC2OrSR pic.twitter.com/j76CratBBo

His size and measurement are small for a typical edge, however because the NFL has regarded for extra explosive athletes to play one of the crucial vital positions on the sector, they’ve discovered roles for gamers of Campbell’s measurement. Moreover, I nearly get the sensation he prefers to be a go rusher greater than an off-ball ‘backer.

When he drops into shallow zones, he does an excellent job to maintain his eyes within the backfield, however on the first signal of the quarterback breaking the pocket, Campbell is trying to shut and get to the passer. The constructive right here is that he has a number of spectacular performs at or behind the road of scrimmage on second-reaction efforts. However the flip facet to that coin is he may depart his protection duty open for an enormous play the opposite method.

Rush Abilities

As a real edge rusher, Jihaad Campbell has the go off the road and bend to win the arc. In his restricted reps he has flashed each a protracted arm on the surface in addition to a spin transfer as an inside counter. The spin wants work as he has principally been caught on it and thrown to the bottom, however the base is there for refinement.

His total athleticism permits him to alter instructions mid-rush to attempt to discover a secondary outlet to the quarterback. As a stand-up rusher from the inside, Cambell combines fast burst with sufficient shoulder motion to slip by linemen adeptly.

Tackling/Run Protection

Alabama ILB Jihaad Campbell – Picture by: USA At the moment

As a stack and shed linebacker, he has the dimensions to tackle climbing tight ends and linemen with out getting overwhelmed and may slip by anybody who isn’t technically sound when focusing on him. However in whole I didn’t see him working downhill to fulfill ball carriers within the gap very a lot. And as a tackler, whereas he’s very sound and technical, wrapping up persistently, he’s very not often popping ball carriers or hitting with authority.

Most of his tackles discover Campbell absorbing contact because the ball service beneficial properties 1-2 extra yards driving by means of him as he drags them to the bottom. A part of the rationale for that is that Campbell performs with a excessive pad degree which saps energy from what ought to be a extra bodily pop when he hits gamers.

Campbell tends to set off late and appears to me like extra of a learn and react run defender with much less instincts to assist him get to spots earlier than the play will get there. However he does possess sideline-to-sideline pace and barely overruns performs. A number of performs this yr a working again tried to catch the sting on Campbell and was unable to take action. This offers him a excessive ground as he strikes to the NFL.

Protection

Whereas he has confirmed to be a plus protection participant in school, I fear about these abilities translating to the subsequent degree. I do know a number of analysts see Jihaad Campbell as a plus athlete. And I believed he was when taking a look at his 2023 tape, however he appears to be like to have gained some weight and misplaced some fluidity in house.

I like his means to diagnose route ideas and never simply discover his right zone task but in addition discover the suitable receiver closest to him. It’s the entire “cover players, not grass” mantra that Campbell absolutely buys into. His aim line go breakup towards LSU was a incredible diagnose-and-affect-the-play rep.

This would be the space that provides groups essentially the most hope for him as an NFL linebacker in a league that’s quick on good protection gamers.

Bucs Outlook

Bucs ILB SirVocea Dennis and HC Todd Bowles – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR

Jihaad Campbell is taken into account one of many higher linebacker prospects within the 2025 NFL Draft due primarily to his total athleticism. I got here away underwhelmed total. I do assume he would supply an honest ground and an improved degree of pace and dropping means than what the Bucs at the moment possess.

And there’s a respectable quantity of scheme match with Bucs head coach Todd Bowles’ system. Campbell may thrive in mugged-up appears to be like in addition to a rotational edge in sub packages. However he isn’t somebody I might spend a first- or second-round decide on. And I nonetheless have reservations as as to whether he wouldn’t be greatest served as a 3-4 exterior linebacker than as a real off-ball linebacker.