Surpassing his 2021 season might mean a first-round selection in the 2023 NFL draft for Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell. The 6-foot-5, 243 pound linebacker out of Cedar Falls High School led the nation with 143 total tackles last season.
His 10.2 tackles per game ranked 10th nationally, trailing only Northwestern’s Chris Bergin and Wisconsin’s Leo Chenal’s 11.8 and 10.4 tackles per game, respectively.
Bergin earned an invite to the Chicago Bears’ rookie minicamp and Chenal was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft. Chenal just inked his rookie deal with K.C.
That means Campbell is both the leading returning tackler nationally and the leading returning tackler per game in the Big Ten. After a season that ended with Campbell picking up first-team All-Big Ten honors by the Big Ten’s media and coaches, the expectations are sky high heading into 2022. Campbell was also one of 16 semifinalists for the Butkus Award, which is presented annually to the nation’s top linebacker.
Naturally, Campbell has enjoyed his fair share of praise throughout the offseason. ESPN’s Tom VanHaaren selected Campbell as his choice for the defensive player not named Will Anderson Jr. that would have the biggest impact on the 2022 college football season back in March.
Meanwhile, 247Sports touted Campbell as one of its top 2023 NFL draft stock risers. Pro Football Focus acknowledged Campbell as the top Power Five run stopper and he was named alongside teammate Riley Moss as one of two Hawkeyes on the Lott IMPACT Trophy watchlist. That pair was also selected as first-team All-Big Ten choices by Athlon Sports.
Following a season that put Campbell on the national radar, let’s take a look back at his Iowa career thus far and examine what’s ahead for the star linebacker in 2022.
Preseason player profile
Hometown: Cedar Falls, Iowa
Ht: 6-5
Wt: 243
Class in 2022: Senior
247Sports composite ranking
2019 three-star / No. 44 outside linebacker / No. 4 player from Iowa
Career stats
| Tackles | Def Int | Fumbles | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Solo | Ast | Tot | Loss | Sk | Int | Yds | Avg | TD | PD | FR | Yds | TD | FF |
| *2019 | Iowa | Big Ten | FR | LB | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2020 | Iowa | Big Ten | SO | LB | 5 | 21 | 8 | 29 | 3.5 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | ||
| *2021 | Iowa | Big Ten | JR | LB | 14 | 57 | 83 | 140 | 3.5 | 1.0 | 2 | 33 | 16.5 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
| Career | Overall | 80 | 94 | 174 | 7.0 | 2.0 | 3 | 33 | 11.0 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 2 | |||||
| Iowa | 80 | 94 | 174 | 7.0 | 2.0 | 3 | 33 | 11.0 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 2 | ||||||
| Cincinnati | |||||||||||||||||||
Depth chart overview
As one of the top linebackers nationally and a player that has been earmarked as a potential 2023 NFL draft stock riser, it goes without saying that Campbell’s starting status isn’t in question.
The in-state linebacker was once again listed atop the depth chart at the Hawkeyes’ middle linebacker slot to begin the spring and that won’t change between now and Iowa’s season opener versus South Dakota State. How much better can Campbell be than the 143 tackles he delivered in 2021?
Probably not much. And if he leads the nation in total tackles once more, that will be an amazing feat considering the type of attention he will merit from opposing offensive lines. Campbell had a pair of interceptions last season, too. One area Campbell could improve is in the tackles for loss and sacks department. He finished the 2021 season with 3.5 tackles for loss and one sack.
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Full snapshot profile series
- Quarterbacks: Spencer Petras, Alex Padilla
- Offensive line: Starters overview
- Running backs: Gavin Williams, Leshon Williams
- Wide receivers: Keagan Johnson, Nico Ragaini
- Tight end: Sam LaPorta
- Defensive line: Logan Lee, Lukas Van Ness, Noah Shannon, John Waggoner
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