Last year, Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell was not ranked in the top ten linebackers in the NFL. Now, he is the fifth best according to NFL executives, scouts, and coaches.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN polled people across the NFL and gathered a top ten at every position in the league. Campbell was ranked as high as number one on some ballots. However, he was also still left off some ballots. So, he settled in right in the middle with number five.
Detroit Lions Linebacker Jack Campbell is Becoming One of the Best in the NFL
Getty Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell.
Campbell has been a hit since the team took him in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft. He is now entering his fourth NFL season and is coming off an All-Pro season that featured career highs in all key areas.
Campbell was a strong rookie, posting 95 combined tackles. This earned him eighth place in the Defensive Rookie of the Year Voting. He improved to 131 tackles in his second year, but still did not get the accolades.
However, his third season is when the awards came. He combined for 176 tackles and added three forced fumbles, two recoveries, and five sacks. All of those were career marks.
As he continues to progress in his career, the question will be how high he can climb. Only one of the top four players in the NFL is younger than Campbell. Zach Baun, Roquan Smith, and Fred Warner are all 29 years old.
So, while they all likely still have a couple of prime seasons left, there will come a time when the league is topped by Campbell and Carson Schwesinger more than those other three players.
Campbell already earned an All-Pro honor. He signed a massive extension this offseason. He is viewed as the top at his position league-wide. There is only so much more Campbell to accomplish at this stage of his career, as he becomes a constant top-tier player.
Campbell is Ascending at the Perfect Time for the Lions
The Lions are expecting another step forward from Campbell in his fourth year, and they need it. The back end of their defense is going through a lot of questions, and they are going to lean heavily on the front.
Both Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph are highly questionable this season due to injuries. Branch will likely come back, but much later in the year. The timeline is more ambiguous for Joseph. When you add in Terrion Arnold getting arrested and released, the back end is going to sort through a lot.
It is going to need the front to do its part. Detroit got the most help across from Aidan Hutchinson that they have had. They are also looking for Alim McNeil and Levi Onwuzurike to be healthier this year than they have been in the past. If the second-year Tyleik Williams can take another step, they should be much stronger upfront.
That should make life easier for Campbell. Campbell has a responsibility to make coverage easier for his teammates this year. A strong season could mean another rise.
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