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Summary of todays Mcginn article on linebackers.
...“Nobody cares about size anymore,” a veteran personnel man said. “If you can’t run, forget it.”
This class of inside linebackers largely bears that out. Eight of the top 10 at the position, on average, stand 6-1 ¾, weigh 230.7 pounds and run the 40-yard dash in 4.57 seconds.
...Two of the top-10 prospects this year stand out because of their old-school size and surprising speed. Iowa’s Jack Campbell (6-4 ½, 251) and Oregon’s Noah Sewell (6-1 ½, 247) each ran the 40 in 4.71 seconds. They also combined to start 58 games and record 520 tackles as leaders of their defenses.
...Sixteen personnel men were asked to rank the linebackers on a 1-2-3-4-5 basis, with a first-place vote worth 5 points, a second-place vote worth 4 and so on. Campbell emerged as the winner but it wasn’t by much.
Campbell finished with five first-place votes and 50 points for a narrow margin over Drew Sanders (48, six) and Trenton Simpson (44, three). Next were DeMarvion Overshown (25), Daiyan Henley (22, one), Sewell (19, one), Harry To’oTo’o (16), Dorian Williams (seven), Owen Pappoe (four), Cam Jones (three) and Jeremy Banks (two).
...Weighing 249 at the combine, Campbell turned some of his doubters into believers with clockings of 7.24 in the short shuttle and 6.74 in the 3-cone. None of the other linebackers could beat him, and his 3-cone time was particularly outstanding.
“He tested out of this world,” one evaluator said. “His 3-cone and short shuttle blew everybody out of the water at that position by a lot.”
Sewell wasn’t as fast (4.37, 7.28), but those shuttle times at least ranked in the middle of the pack.
...“I’ll be pissed if Campbell doesn’t go in the first round,” one scout said. “If Tremaine Edmunds goes that kid should go. He’s Brian Urlacher.”
LINEBACKERS
1. JACK CAMPBELL, Iowa (6-4 ½, 251, 4.71, 1-2): Two-year starter, four-year player. “He’s big, tall and physical in the run game,” one scout said. “What separates him is his feel for the game. He’s got great instincts and he makes plays. He is a (green dot) in a second.” FBS leader in tackles (143) in 2021. Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and William V. Campbell Trophy (the academic Heisman) winner in 2022. “He was all over the place in that Ohio State game,” a second scout said. “That defense played amazingly well and he was a major reason why. He’s playing middle read and the guy (receiver) was there and he picked the ball off. You talk about a green dot (defensive signal-caller), this guy will have the green dot immediately.” Finished with 305 tackles (13 ½ for loss), 15 passes defensed and five interceptions. “He’s going to play for a long time,” a third scout said. “The speed surprised me; I thought he’d run like a 4.8 something. But he is a football player. In the 1970s, he would have been (great). I don’t think he’s more than a two-down player because he does not run well enough in space. With the game being the way it is today this guy’s going to struggle. He’s extremely instinctive and he tackles well.” Scored 24 on the Wonderlic test. “Best between the tackles, green-dot type of guy,” said a fourth scout. “Concerns I guess would be matchup situations in the pass game, but I think you can kind of cover him up so he’s not exposed that long. He is athletic. He tested well. He ran fast enough. I wish he’d just attack the line of scrimmage and was in the backfield more for a guy that big. He was more timid and waited for guys to come to him, which is fine because I think that’s what he was asked to do. I just wish he blew more **** up.” Arms were 31 7/8 inches, hands were 10 ¼ inches. “I like him but I don’t love him,” a fifth scout said. “He’s a big body, strong, very smart, high football IQ. I just didn’t love his overall athletic ability and his top-end speed.” From Cedar Falls, Iowa. “Typical Iowa linebacker: try-hard and limited,” a sixth scout said. “Gives you his all. He’s similar to that (Denver’s Josey Jewell) but he’s bigger. Same kind of guy. Overachieving, tough, try-hard guy. Because of what’s out there everybody’s elevating him. He is what he is.”
2. DREW SANDERS, Arkansas (6-4 ½, 236, 4.65, 1-2): A 5-star recruit, he played 52 snaps as a freshman at Alabama. In 2021, he became a starter at OLB early before a thumb injury sidelined him for three games and sent him back to backup status behind freshman Dallas Turner. Played 269 snaps. “They had Will Anderson and Dallas Turner so they came to Sanders and said, ‘Hey, we want you to gain weight, get up to 260 so you can play a 4-technique, 5-technique defensive end,’” one scout said. “He and his dad said, ‘We ain’t doing that.’ So he left.” Transferring to Arkansas, he practiced at first on the outside before the staff decided he’d have the most impact in the middle of the defense. “He missed 22 tackles, with 11 in the first three games,” the scout said. “This was the first time he ever played off the ball. He can make multiple moves off the edge and rush the passer. He’s got a lot of versatility.” In 2022, he had 103 tackles and 9 ½ sacks. “He can rush the passer and was surprisingly athletic in coverage,” a second scout said. “Very good blitzer. Can play the run. He was Anthony Barr-like.” Finished with 136 tackles (16 for loss). “He’s not an edge rusher,” said a third scout. “He’s a linebacker who you blitz. He's really good at blitz timing. He’s an all-around backer you can keep on the field all the time. Really good in all phases. He’ll be a Pro Bowl-type player.” Posted 21 on the Wonderlic. “Very shy by nature,” one scout said. “But you’ve got to get through the shyness. I think first impressions hurt that kid. He knows football and wants to be a player.” A 5-star recruit from Denton, Texas. “I think the guy’s a fraud,” a fourth scout said. “Somebody’s going to overdraft him. Somebody’s going to buy fool’s gold there.”
3. TRENTON SIMPSON, Clemson (6-2 ½, 234, 4.45, 1-2): Third-year junior, 27-game starter. Played both the strong and weak sides in a 4-3 defense. “He’s a testing freak,” one scout said. “He’s a height-weight-speed guy in a height-weight-speed league. The tape is not great.” Pumped 25 reps on the bench to go with a vertical jump of 40 ½ inches and a blazing 40. “This guy is a space linebacker,” said a second scout. “He can just run and go get stuff. Plays hard. He’s tough when he tries to take on but he kind of gets knocked around. He can cover guys. He can run with tight ends easily. He’s not like Quay Walker, who didn’t have any instincts. This guy’s instinctive. Some little guys shy away. He’s not great but he’s got some jolt and pop to him.” Finished with 187 tackles (22 ½ for loss) and 12 ½ sacks. “I questioned his instincts,” a third scout said. “I was, like, ‘Trent, use your eyes. See it, see things.’ But he’s got the athletic ability to do everything.” Former safety. Wonderlic of 11. “He’s still learning the position,” a fourth scout said. “He’s gifted in coverage. His angles to the football in the run game need to be improved. Another Clemson player who has up and down moments and scares the f--k out of me. No way he goes first round.” From Charlotte, N.C.
...“Nobody cares about size anymore,” a veteran personnel man said. “If you can’t run, forget it.”
This class of inside linebackers largely bears that out. Eight of the top 10 at the position, on average, stand 6-1 ¾, weigh 230.7 pounds and run the 40-yard dash in 4.57 seconds.
...Two of the top-10 prospects this year stand out because of their old-school size and surprising speed. Iowa’s Jack Campbell (6-4 ½, 251) and Oregon’s Noah Sewell (6-1 ½, 247) each ran the 40 in 4.71 seconds. They also combined to start 58 games and record 520 tackles as leaders of their defenses.
...Sixteen personnel men were asked to rank the linebackers on a 1-2-3-4-5 basis, with a first-place vote worth 5 points, a second-place vote worth 4 and so on. Campbell emerged as the winner but it wasn’t by much.
Campbell finished with five first-place votes and 50 points for a narrow margin over Drew Sanders (48, six) and Trenton Simpson (44, three). Next were DeMarvion Overshown (25), Daiyan Henley (22, one), Sewell (19, one), Harry To’oTo’o (16), Dorian Williams (seven), Owen Pappoe (four), Cam Jones (three) and Jeremy Banks (two).
...Weighing 249 at the combine, Campbell turned some of his doubters into believers with clockings of 7.24 in the short shuttle and 6.74 in the 3-cone. None of the other linebackers could beat him, and his 3-cone time was particularly outstanding.
“He tested out of this world,” one evaluator said. “His 3-cone and short shuttle blew everybody out of the water at that position by a lot.”
Sewell wasn’t as fast (4.37, 7.28), but those shuttle times at least ranked in the middle of the pack.
...“I’ll be pissed if Campbell doesn’t go in the first round,” one scout said. “If Tremaine Edmunds goes that kid should go. He’s Brian Urlacher.”
LINEBACKERS
1. JACK CAMPBELL, Iowa (6-4 ½, 251, 4.71, 1-2): Two-year starter, four-year player. “He’s big, tall and physical in the run game,” one scout said. “What separates him is his feel for the game. He’s got great instincts and he makes plays. He is a (green dot) in a second.” FBS leader in tackles (143) in 2021. Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and William V. Campbell Trophy (the academic Heisman) winner in 2022. “He was all over the place in that Ohio State game,” a second scout said. “That defense played amazingly well and he was a major reason why. He’s playing middle read and the guy (receiver) was there and he picked the ball off. You talk about a green dot (defensive signal-caller), this guy will have the green dot immediately.” Finished with 305 tackles (13 ½ for loss), 15 passes defensed and five interceptions. “He’s going to play for a long time,” a third scout said. “The speed surprised me; I thought he’d run like a 4.8 something. But he is a football player. In the 1970s, he would have been (great). I don’t think he’s more than a two-down player because he does not run well enough in space. With the game being the way it is today this guy’s going to struggle. He’s extremely instinctive and he tackles well.” Scored 24 on the Wonderlic test. “Best between the tackles, green-dot type of guy,” said a fourth scout. “Concerns I guess would be matchup situations in the pass game, but I think you can kind of cover him up so he’s not exposed that long. He is athletic. He tested well. He ran fast enough. I wish he’d just attack the line of scrimmage and was in the backfield more for a guy that big. He was more timid and waited for guys to come to him, which is fine because I think that’s what he was asked to do. I just wish he blew more **** up.” Arms were 31 7/8 inches, hands were 10 ¼ inches. “I like him but I don’t love him,” a fifth scout said. “He’s a big body, strong, very smart, high football IQ. I just didn’t love his overall athletic ability and his top-end speed.” From Cedar Falls, Iowa. “Typical Iowa linebacker: try-hard and limited,” a sixth scout said. “Gives you his all. He’s similar to that (Denver’s Josey Jewell) but he’s bigger. Same kind of guy. Overachieving, tough, try-hard guy. Because of what’s out there everybody’s elevating him. He is what he is.”
2. DREW SANDERS, Arkansas (6-4 ½, 236, 4.65, 1-2): A 5-star recruit, he played 52 snaps as a freshman at Alabama. In 2021, he became a starter at OLB early before a thumb injury sidelined him for three games and sent him back to backup status behind freshman Dallas Turner. Played 269 snaps. “They had Will Anderson and Dallas Turner so they came to Sanders and said, ‘Hey, we want you to gain weight, get up to 260 so you can play a 4-technique, 5-technique defensive end,’” one scout said. “He and his dad said, ‘We ain’t doing that.’ So he left.” Transferring to Arkansas, he practiced at first on the outside before the staff decided he’d have the most impact in the middle of the defense. “He missed 22 tackles, with 11 in the first three games,” the scout said. “This was the first time he ever played off the ball. He can make multiple moves off the edge and rush the passer. He’s got a lot of versatility.” In 2022, he had 103 tackles and 9 ½ sacks. “He can rush the passer and was surprisingly athletic in coverage,” a second scout said. “Very good blitzer. Can play the run. He was Anthony Barr-like.” Finished with 136 tackles (16 for loss). “He’s not an edge rusher,” said a third scout. “He’s a linebacker who you blitz. He's really good at blitz timing. He’s an all-around backer you can keep on the field all the time. Really good in all phases. He’ll be a Pro Bowl-type player.” Posted 21 on the Wonderlic. “Very shy by nature,” one scout said. “But you’ve got to get through the shyness. I think first impressions hurt that kid. He knows football and wants to be a player.” A 5-star recruit from Denton, Texas. “I think the guy’s a fraud,” a fourth scout said. “Somebody’s going to overdraft him. Somebody’s going to buy fool’s gold there.”
3. TRENTON SIMPSON, Clemson (6-2 ½, 234, 4.45, 1-2): Third-year junior, 27-game starter. Played both the strong and weak sides in a 4-3 defense. “He’s a testing freak,” one scout said. “He’s a height-weight-speed guy in a height-weight-speed league. The tape is not great.” Pumped 25 reps on the bench to go with a vertical jump of 40 ½ inches and a blazing 40. “This guy is a space linebacker,” said a second scout. “He can just run and go get stuff. Plays hard. He’s tough when he tries to take on but he kind of gets knocked around. He can cover guys. He can run with tight ends easily. He’s not like Quay Walker, who didn’t have any instincts. This guy’s instinctive. Some little guys shy away. He’s not great but he’s got some jolt and pop to him.” Finished with 187 tackles (22 ½ for loss) and 12 ½ sacks. “I questioned his instincts,” a third scout said. “I was, like, ‘Trent, use your eyes. See it, see things.’ But he’s got the athletic ability to do everything.” Former safety. Wonderlic of 11. “He’s still learning the position,” a fourth scout said. “He’s gifted in coverage. His angles to the football in the run game need to be improved. Another Clemson player who has up and down moments and scares the f--k out of me. No way he goes first round.” From Charlotte, N.C.
