MLB Jack Campbell #53 in the top 100 of The Athletic... is this our guy???

[Bookie Man]

1 minute ago, gobills404 said:

So all I got from this is Sanders is much better at blitzing (which nobody disagrees with) and would be a better DE in a hypothetical scenario that will never happen. That’s fine because Campbell is better actually being a MLB.

 

“It would be a HUGE mistake to take him period” did Jack Campbell screw your wife or something?? Dude is a very smart and experienced player, won the Butkus award, is an elite athlete just like Sanders while being 15lbs heavier, and has elite intangibles. Talk about insane hyperbole.

Did he screw my wife? No man, cmon that's my neighbors job. But no seriously.  I have nothing at all against the guy. I'm just stating my opinion after watching all of the video available to me. How much have you watched? I don't mean just highlight videos. I mean complete games and watch him every play. If you haven't you should. I'll bet your perspective changes. If you compare on film Campbell and Sanders, the difference is glaring. He has great intangibles, but bad instincts. 

[GunnerBill]

3 hours ago, Sierra Foothills said:

 

 

And then you watch Campbell's game video and you see the disconnect between his measurables and his play. He doesn't play as big, fast, or quick as he measures IMO.

 

100% true. I expected him to be fine when it came to testing but his performance surprised me. It has been said elsewhere how much football means to him. He is a smart kid from a good family, my guess is he did some serious combine training (which fair play to him if he did, it's a job interview, you should take it seriously) but I think that probably slightly overstates what kind of athlete you will get on the field on Sundays. 

 

I don't have a huge gap between him and Sanders, it is close on my board, but I have Sanders graded just a tad higher. And Simpson higher than both of them. I think Jack Campbell will have a solid career, but I think on this board at least he has an almost God like status which I am not sure he totally warrants.

Edited April 11, 2023 by GunnerBill

[gobills404]

1 hour ago, ßookie_tech said:

Did he screw my wife? No man, cmon that's my neighbors job. But no seriously.  

Stop trying to make me chuckle

 

1 hour ago, ßookie_tech said:

How much have you watched? I don't mean just highlight videos. I mean complete games and watch him every play. If you haven't you should. I'll bet your perspective changes. 

Every game from 2022 I could get my hands on for both (7 games for Sanders, 9 for Campbell). I’ll admit my reaction was too harsh (especially since

I don’t want either in the first round) but I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree. To me they both have similar ceilings as the MIKE in the McD’s system, but Campbell has a MUCH higher floor. If the Bills ran a 3-4 defense or wanted another Lorenzo style SAM/EDGE hybrid then give me Sanders all day every day. But talking strictly as an Edmunds replacement at MLB, I’d rather have Campbell and it’s not close.

Edited April 11, 2023 by gobills404

[nosejob]

Well after Campbell working with Luke, I'm sure McBeane will be able to get a view from someone they know who has all the creds and can give an opinion on the level of a LB coach. I like the fact that the FO is getting this kind of intel and applaud them for that.

[Sherlock Holmes]

5 minutes ago, nosejob said:

Well after Campbell working with Luke, I'm sure McBeane will be able to get a view from someone they know who has all the creds and can give an opinion on the level of a LB coach. I like the fact that the FO is getting this kind of intel and applaud them for that.

Might as well just bring Luke in full time

[Doc]

13 minutes ago, nosejob said:

Well after Campbell working with Luke, I'm sure McBeane will be able to get a view from someone they know who has all the creds and can give an opinion on the level of a LB coach. I like the fact that the FO is getting this kind of intel and applaud them for that.

 

OTOH that might work against the Bills.  Kuechly's going to say the kid is a stud regardless of any deficiencies he (still) sees while working with him.

[nosejob]

15 minutes ago, Doc said:

 

OTOH that might work against the Bills.  Kuechly's going to say the kid is a stud regardless of any deficiencies he (still) sees while working with him.

Why would you just assume that? Who benefits in that?....unless he was told, "That's gonna be our pick no matter what."....Just get him ready.

 

EDIT:.......which would actually be cool. Jack Campbert would be ready to lay some wood Day 1.

Edited April 11, 2023 by nosejob

[Doc]

29 minutes ago, nosejob said:

Why would you just assume that? Who benefits in that?....unless he was told, "That's gonna be our pick no matter what."....Just get him ready.

 

EDIT:.......which would actually be cool. Jack Campbert would be ready to lay some wood Day 1.

 

Campbell and Kuechly.  If he goes 27th overall instead of mid-2nd rounder like many said he would, he gets a lot more money and Kuechly looks better for it.  And AFAIK no one with ties to the team is coaching-up SImpson or Sanders.

 

Ultimately I just hope they draft a stud MLB.  Doesn't matter who.

[KOKBILLS]

12 hours ago, Sierra Foothills said:

 

 

And then you watch Campbell's game video and you see the disconnect between his measurables and his play. He doesn't play as big, fast, or quick as he measures IMO.

 

Ya...I watched him plenty...He'll be fine...There's no perfect player coming in and a million variables to consider once they get into NFL games.

 

Assuming he stays healthy and gets into a Defense (like the Bills) that will take advantage of his strengths, as he grows into the league he's going to become one of the more instinctive LB's in the NFL because he's smart. Once those smarts and instincts catch up to the athletic profile, some team is going to be very lucky to have him...

[Buffalo Barbarian]

On 3/30/2023 at 12:39 AM, transplantbillsfan said:

We all know the hole to fill. Yes it's possible the Edmunds replacement is on our roster, but c'mon... who really doesn't think we're adding an ILB???? 

 

Jack Campbell has been the buzz since the Combine. Yet, The Athletic just came out with their top 100. Here's what they said about him:

 

Campbell has excellent size to take on blocks in the box, and he’s more than willing to do so. An effective communicator pre-snap, Campbell plays with good awareness to discern play concepts and effectively play the run. He flashes the ability to stack and shed climbing offensive linemen while being a sound tackler.

 

But he will let the game come to him at times instead of being the aggressor. He is a good athlete, but it doesn’t always show because he plays in a controlled manner — there are times you wish he used his gifts more.

 

Campbell’s awareness does carry over against the pass. He is at his best in zone, where he can read the game, make plays on the ball and get into passing lanes. He’s also a fluid enough mover to hold his own in man.

Campbell has the size and athleticism to quickly adjust to the NFL. He doesn’t always play to his testing numbers, but if he becomes more comfortable, he has the ideal traits and play style to be a three-down linebacker.

 

I don't know about anyone else, but there were many parts of that report that absolutely screamed Buffalo.

 

It'd be amazing if we got him in the 2nd, but wouldn't be shocked if we took him in the 1st.

 

this is why we are taking Sanders.

 

 

On 3/30/2023 at 12:50 AM, Mark Vader said:

Agreed.

 

Trading down in general to get more picks would be a good move for the Bills this year.

 

I'd rather have more picks than signing a ton of UDFA's.

 

We should always trade down, unless going for a QB or some obviously ridiculous talent.

 

 

[BananaB]

Probably a good fit to fill a spot of need. Does it really matter where we pick him if he contributes right away? That’s what we need, can’t draft this guy and have sit behind the other average guys who have a little more experience. Draft him, play him and let him learn on the fly. 

[NastyNateSoldiers]

On 3/30/2023 at 3:39 PM, whorlnut said:

Awesome. We take a LB and the chiefs and bengals get more offensive weapons that our spanking new MLB can’t stop.

Offensive weapons in this draft is almost like throwing your pick in the trash. We need to take Bpa in this draft more then other years because the draft overall is very weak especially in the top rds. Going Offensive line or even Dline is better way to go in first this yr. 

[LabattBlue]

I just want a LB who…

 

- has better instincts in terms of run defense

 

- can shed a blocker

 

- makes impact plays more than 2-3 a year

 

[machine gun kelly]

Yes if we can drive down value on a draft day trade for Hopkins, and then draft another WR in the 2nd.

 

TE-3rd

G-4th

[Sierra Foothills]

FWIW, The Athletic's respected annual Draft Guide, "The Beast" came out on Monday. It's written by their draftnick Dane Brugler.

 

In their rankings Jack Campbell is the 3rd rated LB behind Sanders and Simpson. In addition The Beast gave Campbell a 2nd round grade. Here's an excerpt of what they had to say about him:

 

STRENGTHS: Above-average size and frame with room to add more mass ... anticipates well and trusts his eyes to play out in front ... has the range and awareness to mirror the run at the line of scrimmage ... shows the gap-to-gap quickness and lateral shuffle to work around the noise and find the ball carrier ... transitions well in his zone coverage drops (his 6.74 three-cone and 4.24 short shuttle were No. 1 among linebackers at the Combine) ... displays a keen sense for route spacing and finds passing lanes (15 career passes defended) ... plays with the body strength to match up with blockers ... elite toughness ... two-year team captain in high school and again in college ... not very vocal, but his teammates say he sets the tone with his tenacious effort, and his coaches call him an “amazing” practice player (Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz: “Everything he does, he goes hard”) ... egoless and humble off the field (didn’t pursue NIL deals and considers social media a “distraction”) ... film study in the foundation of his game ... became the first Iowa player to win the William V. Campbell Trophy (Academic Heisman) ... combined for 271 tackles over his final two seasons.

WEAKNESSES: Doesn’t play with sudden twitch in his lower half to quickly react to ball carriers or blockers, especially in space (his testing showed better short-area suddenness than on tape) ... average lateral and closing burst ... occasionally waits for the action instead of thumping downhill consistently ... inconsistent stack-and- shed skills and must improve his leverage, reach and handwork ... vision is focused on the ball and late to locate climbing or side-angled blocks ... needs a clear lane to be effective as a blitzer ... strong tackler, but not an explosive tackler ... missed 2022 spring practices because of a knee injury ... has battled a nagging left UCL injury.

SUMMARY: A two-year starter at Iowa, Campbell was the “MIKE” linebacker in defensive coordinator Phil Parker’s 4-3 base scheme. Head coach Kirk Ferentz wanted to move him to defensive end or center as a freshman because of his frame, but Campbell pushed to stay at linebacker and averaged 10.0 tackles in his 27 starts, and became the first Hawkeyes player to win the Butkus Award (nation’s top linebacker) and William V. Campbell Trophy (academic Heisman). Fueled by his preparation and smarts, Campbell plays with impressive play speed and awareness vs. both the run and the pass, working relentlessly to maximize everything in his tool box. Though he has a keen eye for tendencies and a nose for the ball, he tends to wait instead of attacking downhill and struggles to quickly redirect/react when ball carriers or route runners put a move on him. Overall, Campbell is inconsistent as a thumper, but his athleticism, intangibles and instincts will keep him in the NFL for a long time. He has the talent to compete for starting reps as an NFL rookie.

GRADE: 2nd Round (No. 52 overall)

 

Link (behind a paywall... subscribers only): https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2023/04/10172057/TheBeast_NFL_Draft_Guide-2-1.pdf

[Einstein's Dog]

17 minutes ago, Sierra Foothills said:

FWIW, The Athletic's respected annual Draft Guide, "The Beast" came out on Monday. It's written by their draftnick Dane Brugler.

In their rankings Jack Campbell is the 3rd rated LB behind Sanders and Simpson. In addition The Beast gave Campbell a 2nd round grade. 

 

STRENGTHS: Above-average size and frame with room to add more mass ...

well in his zone coverage drops (his 6.74 three-cone and 4.24 short shuttle were No. 1 among linebackers at the Combine) ... elite toughness ...

two-year team captain in high school and again in college ...... egoless and humble off the field (didn’t pursue NIL deals 

William V. Campbell Trophy (Academic Heisman)

 

GRADE: 2nd Round (No. 52 overall)

 

Wow.  Thanks for posting.  Campbell has awards and "Above-average size and frame with room to add more mass" and yet two others are ahead of him.  Wonder how the Bills view it.  Would be interesting to see if they are all available what the Bills would do.

 

What grade and round did they have for Sanders and Simpson?

[Sierra Foothills]

32 minutes ago, Einstein's Dog said:

Wow.  Thanks for posting.  Campbell has awards and "Above-average size and frame with room to add more mass" and yet two others are ahead of him.  Wonder how the Bills view it.  Would be interesting to see if they are all available what the Bills would do.

 

What grade and round did they have for Sanders and Simpson?

 

Apparently all three are fairly closely grouped because Sanders and Simpson were both given grades of "1st-2nd" round grades whereas Campbell was given "2nd."

 

[Einstein's Dog]

On 4/11/2023 at 3:26 AM, GunnerBill said:

 

100% true. I expected him to be fine when it came to testing but his performance surprised me. It has been said elsewhere how much football means to him. He is a smart kid from a good family, my guess is he did some serious combine training (which fair play to him if he did, it's a job interview, you should take it seriously) but I think that probably slightly overstates what kind of athlete you will get on the field on Sundays. 

 

I don't have a huge gap between him and Sanders, it is close on my board, but I have Sanders graded just a tad higher. And Simpson higher than both of them. I think Jack Campbell will have a solid career, but I think on this board at least he has an almost God like status which I am not sure he totally warrants.

Are you kidding with the "he did some serious combine training" diss?  What serious candidate wouldn't?  You don't think Sanders trained?  You're entitled to your opinion, but discounting Campbells results by coming up with some type of "he gamed the system" theory is fabricating an excuse to support your bias.  Extra points for taking Campbells care for the game, intelligence, and a good family and twisting it into a negative.  The RAS has always been one data point to consider.

 

You don't see a huge gap but when I look at several data points -  RAS, advantage in mlb experience, awards (Butkus), along with markers indicating intelligence (gpa), loyalty (no transfers), and team personality (captain)- Campbell looks like he is in a tier of his own.  I wouldn't be surprised if the top 3 WRs and top OL are gone by #22, that the Bills make a small move to get ahead of the Giants to get Campbell. 

[Warriorspikes51]

Please not in the 1st. 

[GunnerBill]

3 hours ago, Einstein's Dog said:

Are you kidding with the "he did some serious combine training" diss?  What serious candidate wouldn't?  You don't think Sanders trained?  You're entitled to your opinion, but discounting Campbells results by coming up with some type of "he gamed the system" theory is fabricating an excuse to support your bias.  Extra points for taking Campbells care for the game, intelligence, and a good family and twisting it into a negative.  The RAS has always been one data point to consider.

 

You don't see a huge gap but when I look at several data points -  RAS, advantage in mlb experience, awards (Butkus), along with markers indicating intelligence (gpa), loyalty (no transfers), and team personality (captain)- Campbell looks like he is in a tier of his own.  I wouldn't be surprised if the top 3 WRs and top OL are gone by #22, that the Bills make a small move to get ahead of the Giants to get Campbell. 

 

I made clear it was not a diss. Good on him for taking it so seriously. But the testing at the combine is not matched by the film. I am not saying he isn't athletic or that he is slow, or anything like that. But the film does not show someone with elite explosion and elite agility. Normally when the two don't mesh you have a guy who has trained for the combine specific drills. 

 

The things that you see on tape in terms of weaknesses are his lack of twitch, his lateral movement skills and his change of direction. Everything Jack Campbell does inside 'the box' is high level - lane discipline in the run game, aggressive downhill tackler, awarness in zone drops, but once you get him outside the box - ask him to pursue on runs to the outside, recovery speed, pick up tight ends and backs in man coverage - that is where you see the limitations that make him LB3 for me. I think he has the safest floor of the 3. If someone asked me which if Simpson, Sanders and Campbell is definitely still in the league in 8 years time I'd say Campbell. I just don't think the ceiling is there the way it is with Simpson (who is a top 16 talent in this class IMO) and Sanders.