Owen PustellThis article marks a continuation in the series highlighting the changing of the guard in Rebel football. I will be taking to the film in order to watch, break down and evaluate notable Ole Miss athletes who have either declared for the draft or are transferring into the program.
Stat Breakdown
Listed H/W/P: 6’2, 240 lbs, LB
Pro Comparison: Sean Holcomb
In a Nutshell: Campbell is a cerebral and quick linebacker who is terrific at finding and filling gaps in the run game. He plays with his helmet on fire and relishes the chance to trade paint with the opponent.
Strengths
On the first defensive snap of the season, Campbell showed why he was such a big get in the transfer portal. Pre-snap, Louisville motioned their TE across the formation (11 personnel 2-by-1), and Campbell seemed to diagnose it based on just that motion. He rocked forward in his stance without taking a step to give himself a boost of forward momentum as he triggered downhill. When the ball was snapped, he was already accelerating towards the line of scrimmage. The right tackle gots off the line free and tried to square up Campbell, but the blitzing linebacker was already streaking past him and into the backfield. As they passed, Campbell gave the behemoth trying to block him a shoulder check, which knocked the blocker to his knee and twisted him around into a form reminiscent of a Greek statue. Campbell then located the ball carrier and struck with near perfect tackling form, hitting with his shoulder and following through by wrapping up a leg and dragging down the running back. That play would foreshadow a season’s worth of great plays from the middle of the Rebel defense.
Campbell spent the year boosting his draft stock in the SEC as a sideline-to-sideline tackling machine. He registered 109 total tackles, with 12.5 of those being for loss and six sacks. One of the biggest additions to his game is how fast he can diagnose and react to run plays. It appears that he is a menace in the film room and knows where the ball is going before it is even snapped. When this is paired with his explosive quickness, it becomes an issue for offenses. Frequently, Campbell could be seen outrunning his blockers to the ball carriers and blowing up the play, either getting a tackle or forcing a cutback to help. Campbell’s speed also helps when playing as a QB spy. He was able to run down QBs all season, totalling 11 QB hits as an off-ball linebacker. These are very valuable traits in a league that moves more and more towards pass heavy offenses led by mobile QBs. Campbell is exactly the kind of linebacker that would be used to stop the Niners zone run offense, which utilizes motions and edge runs to the spread out defenses and outrun them. Campbell takes generally great pursuit angles. He understands when to cut off a runner and force a cutback and when to track the hip of the back and make a tackle from the side. Campbell is also good at out maneuvering offensive lineman to keep them off his frame. He does a great job of switching his pace when pursuing a run to get clean angles at ball carriers. His speed will allow him to be a strong special teamer in the NFL, as well as give him a chance to carve out a niche as a QB spy for teams who play in a division with elusive QBs (NFC West, for example).
Weaknesses
Campbell struggles to get off of blocks. He is listed at 240 pounds, but struggles to disengage with lineman or strike them with enough power to shock them or prevent them from finishing their block. Granted, he faced more than his fair share of uncovered lineman last season due to the scheme run by Lane Kiffin, so this issue will be less prevalent in the NFL, but it is definitely something he needs to work on. Campbell needs to do a better job of using his weight to knock lineman off balance or hold his ground when occupying a gap. If Campbell can overcome this flaw in his game, he could work his way into a starting lineup.
Takeaways
In coverage, Campbell can get caught up by focusing on the quarterback, as opposed to staying true to his zone and finding a receiver to stick to, which can leave the middle of the field exposed. Make no mistake, Campbell absolutely has the physical and mental ability to be a plus coverage linebacker. It’s just that the eye discipline needs to improve a little bit. In man coverage he is a little stronger and does a good job cutting off throwing angles to backs. Overall, I have Campbell as a fifth round pick. I think he will be a great special teamer, with the potential to end up as a solid starting linebacker. He will need to develop in a few aspects of his game before seeing consistent time on defense, but the mental and physical tools are there.
