Jack Campbell Turns His Attention to NFL Career

While often overlooked by NFL scouts throughout his remarkable career with the Iowa Hawkeyes, it seems like Jack Campbell is finally getting the praise and recognition he deserves. And training with former Panthers legend Luke Kuechly and getting mentorship from Hall of Famer Dick Butkus only shows what he could be capable of at the next level.

Campbell won the Butkus Award as the nation’s best linebacker last winter, which isn’t much of a surprise, considering he was a part of one of the best sports teams in Iowa, as you may find in: clutchbuzz.clutchbet.com/iowa-sports/best-sports-teams-in-iowa/. Then, he started working out with Kuechly to get ready for the NFL Combine, and he made the most of every single second of it, recording one of the most impressive performances this year.

The Hawkeyes star drastically rose on most boards after his performance at the Combine in Indianapolis. Standing at 6’5’’, 249 pounds, he had the fourth-fastest three-cone drill (6.74 seconds), led all LBs in the three-cone and shuttle drill (4.24 seconds), and was second in both vertical jump (37.5 inches) and broad jump (128 inches).

“I feel like if you don’t learn from every single person you come in contact within the world, then you’re just wasting time,” Campbell told the Daily Iowan. “Just all [of Butkus and Kuechly’s] knowledge, it’s just a major headpin. Mr. Butkus, how he played the game, is just unbelievable … With meeting Luke and other current guys too, hearing how different [the NFL] is. Each team is just so different in what they run; each coordinator likes what they like.”

It’s crazy to think that Campbell was somewhat overlooked until the Combine. Just in 2021, he led all of college football in tackles (143), had one safety, and scored a couple of defensive touchdowns. He was as impressive in the following season, with 128 tackles, as the anchor of the most dominant defense in the nation.

Despite his recent success, however, some analysts still have doubts about his potential to become a superstar at the next level. Recently, NFL analyst Lance Zierlein had some interesting choice of words for the Iowa standout:

“[He’s] built for the box and plays with good overall physicality, but lacks the short area burst and reactive athleticism teams typically look for.”

Still, and even though Campbell claims to focus only on what he can control instead of all the outside narratives, his recent assessment of himself is pretty similar to what the renowned scout claimed about him:

“I’d assume, probably a ‘solid tackler but really unathletic,’” Campbell said in his media availability. “People can say all they want about me … I’ve always had [criticism], so it doesn’t bother me, I’m used to it. I’m always going to have a chip on my shoulder — it’s how I was raised.”

Campbell went from a borderline-unknown three-star high school recruit to being a mainstay in one of the nation’s top defensive programs, so it’s evident that his confidence remains unwavering by all the outside noise and criticism.

It’s not easy to excel or stand out from the rest of the pack in such a defensive-oriented program like the Hawkeyes. But Jack Campbell has proven to have the leadership and intangible skills to rise to the occasion on the field, as well as the awareness and football IQ to find success at the next level. So, don’t be shocked if you see him go early in the second round in the upcoming NFL Draft, as he’s done more than enough merits to make it to the league.