2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Alabama LB Jihaad Campbell

From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Alabama LB Jihaad Campbell.

No. 11 Jihaad Campbell/LB Alabama – 6’3, 244 pounds (Junior)

MEASUREMENTS

The Good

– Good play recognition
– Good athletic ability
– Displays plus play strength as off-ball linebacker
– Shows speed to chase down ball carriers
– Hustles after ball carriers down the field
– Smart player that understands zone drops
– Great depth on zone drops when there is no underneath threat
– High motor with good leadership
– Uses shiftiness to avoid blocks
– Quick break on the ball in pass coverage
– Good physicality in pass coverage
– Positive ball skills
– Great job fitting gap and staying discipline
– Unselfish player who serves the team
– Great form tackler
– Out muscles tight ends and makes plays in the run game
– Good bend rushing the passer
– Used very effectively as a blitzer
– Great scrape run defender
– Relentless pursuit of the ball

The Bad

– Lacks play strength to consistently be put on the line
– Gets overpowered by stronger blockers
– No hand fighting ability when being blocked
– Does not possess any skillful pass rush moves

Bio

– Started in 21 games across three seasons at Alabama
– 2024: 117 tackles, 11.5 TFL’s, 5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 interception
– Garnered Second-Team All-American honors (The Athletic)
– Named First-Team All-SEC unanimously
– Semifinalist for the Bednarik Award and the Butkus Award
– Earned SEC Defensive Player of the Week vs LSU with 10 tackles, 2.5 TFL’s, 1.5 sacks, and 1 forced fumble
– 2023: 66 tackles, 4 TFL’s, 0.5 sacks, and 1 interception, and 1 fumble recovery for a touchdown
– Earned SEC Defensive player of the week vs Tennessee after scoring a touchdown on a fumble recovery
– As a freshman, he got playing time on special teams while rotating in at linebacker, finishing with 1 tackle
– Five-star prospect out of IMG Academy after transferring from Timber Creek High School in New Jersey
– Ranked the No. 1 edge rusher overall and No. 15 player nationally (On3)
– Played receiver as well as defensive end at IMG, catching 249 yards and 2 touchdowns, while recording 45 tackles and 7 sacks.
– Flipped from Clemson to Alabama after the departure of Brent Venables
– In high school, he would start working out at 6 AM before school to run a mile, do calisthenics, run routes, and then lift weights

Tape Breakdown

Jihaad Campbell looks and plays like a veteran, and he never comes off the field. The leadership he displays on film will catch any team’s eye, and he can be seen directing players pre and post snap to where they need to be. He demonstrates his leadership by going after the ball carrier no matter how far away they are, and hustles until the whistle every single play. The unselfishness he plays with is shown in his discipline fitting his gap while never freestyling trying to make his own plays. He understands there is a greater cause than stopping the run than himself, and he does so with great passion and pride. He does a great job as a scrape defender moving across the line of scrimmage, and plays with athleticism and lateral speed to hawk down a ball carrier with relentless pursuit. He does a good job using his aggressiveness to shed blocks, as shown on this play vs LSU.

Campbell is a great form tackler who has the ability to stuff a ball carrier in his tracks and not allowing them to pick up extra yards. When he lines up in the box, he can secure a tackle moving through blocks and stuffing the run. In the open field, he uses sound technique to control a ball carrier and immediately bring him down. His ability to tackle shines through on the goal line, like on this play in a big game vs Georgia.

In pass coverage, Campbell plays with great IQ as a zone dropper. He understands route concepts and where they are going and is very helpful as a QB spy due to his ability to chase players from sideline to sideline. The thing that impresses me the most is his ability to consistently get depth when there is no threat for him underneath. This takes away deeper windows for the quarterback to throw into and can cause mistimed routes and overthrows. His ability to change his direction on the fly speaks to how he understands football.

On this play versus Tennessee, he follows the running back out following the play action fake. Then, he sees his cornerback will take the running back, and he is a free runner towards the quarterback. At the time the QB throws, he gets his hands up and bats the ball down and forces an incompletion.

In man coverage, Campbell does a good job playing with his hands and keep receivers around him. He will not be able to keep up with a speedy receiver vertically, but when he keeps things in front of him, he has a quick break on the ball and can move fluidly with good athleticism. He will not be able to live in man coverage and consistently win vs slot receives, but he can survive and not be exposed. However, I like his chances to win vs a tight end if he can get his hands on and push them off their route. On this goal line play, Campbell displays a quick break on the curl route and causes an incompletion.

Campbell can definitely be used as an effective blitzer due to his athleticism mixed with aggressiveness. He is also a natural born playmaker, as shown on this sack and forced fumble vs LSU.

While Campbell is seen lining up as an off-ball linebacker and as an edge rusher, I prefer him being off-ball. I do not think it will hurt to throw him at edge a couple times a day, but the play strength he possesses does not project as a high usage edge rusher. He can be overpowered by strong blockers and does not possess any skillful pass rush moves to affect a game. I believe teams should let Campbell play off the ball, let him use his athleticism, and be able to play on all 3 downs as a leader of a defense.

Conclusion

Jihaad Campbell will be a Day 1 leader of whatever defense he joins, and his athleticism and great tackling skills can serve a team on all 3 downs. The IQ he plays with in zone coverage and his discipline fitting his gap is not easy to find in a rookie linebacker, which is why I prefer him off the ball and in space. The passion and aggressiveness that he plays with will be enough for him to have coaches fall in love with him. My comp for him is Alex Anzalone.

Projection: Late Day 1
Depot Draft Grade: 8.8 – First Round (Year 1 Quality Starter)
Games Watched: vs Georgia (2024), at Tennessee (2024), at LSU (2024)