Jack Campbell 'Wired to Fit' Detroit Lions Perfectly

Detroit Lions have drafted a future defensive leader.

The Detroit Lions did not have many first-round grades on prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft. 

Linebacker Jack Campbell was a player who immediately stood out to the personnel department and coaching staff, though. 

His "all business" approach to football made him a desirable selection with the No. 18 overall pick. 

“When you have a guy like Jack Campbell, that’s 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, that’s extremely instinctive. He’s heavy in the run game, and he’s extremely smart. I just love how the kid is wired,” Brad Holmes told Peter Schrager in a recent podcast interview. “He’s wired to fit what we’re all about. We’re all about grit, doing it the right way, like truly earning it, and this guy just loves football. He’s all business.”

Detroit's linebackers unit needed a player that brought with him grittiness and toughness, as Aaron Glenn's defense requires linebackers to have versatile skillsets.

“I thought Jack Campbell had all the traits that we look for in a football player. So, that’s how we felt really good about it, and again, going back to what I was saying about there wasn’t but a certain amount of players that we had in that first-round bucket, and he was one of them,” Holmes commented further. “When I say there was only 14 guys, Jack Campbell wasn’t 14th. You know what I mean, so that’s why it was easy."

Led by Alex Anzalone, Campbell will be competing with Derrick Barnes, Malcolm Rodriguez and Jalen Reeves-Maybin for playing time. 

Linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard is not simply going to hand the former Iowa Hawkeye playing time, however. 

With so much being introduced at a quick rate, it will be key for the rookie to acclimate and learn from his mistakes. In time, it is expected that Campbell will become the leader of the defense. 

As Holmes noted, “Jack Campbell is just a hell of a football player, and I just think that like, we’re looking at it as he’s going to be an anchor in our defense. Not, ‘We’re drafting an inside linebacker.’ Like no, we’re just taking an anchor that’s going to be (on) our defense.”