Jack Campbell, perhaps surprisingly to some, was the first member of the Detroit Lions' 2023 draft class to earn an extension with the team. Amid a group that features himself, Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta, and Brian Branch, Campbell managed to snag a deal at the very front of that stacked line.
It was extremely well deserved, though. Campbell stood out in a Detroit linebacker room that was still featuring Alex Anzalone in 2025, picking up a 4th-best 89 solo tackles, in addition to five sacks and three forced fumbles. He was one of the lone members of the Lions' defense that was actually generating pressures and turnovers consistently.
So, his extension, while coming before Gibbs', was earned. Beyond earned. And, he's now earned another career-first: Campbell was recently named the 88th best player in the league overall on this year's Top 100 list.
Wrote NFL.com's Bobby Kownack:
"Campbell made his first Pro Bowl and All-Pro team last season, emerging as the heart of the Lions defense. The off-ball linebacker’s 176 tackles ranked second in the league, but he added a little extra to his bag by more than doubling his previous career sack total of 3.5. Campbell was PFF’s top-graded linebacker in run defense (93.0) and second-best LB overall (90.2), plus he was no slouch in coverage, finishing 12th at his position with a grade of 71.4. It’s little wonder Detroit extended him in May."
Campbell earns first selection to NFL Top 100 list
Campbell is shaping up to be one of the NFL's best off-ball linebackers, entering the conversation alongside stars like the San Francisco 49ers' Fred Warner and the Philadelphia Eagles' Zack Baun. While this number might feel a little too low for Campbell, it still speaks to how much he's improved over three seasons that he's cracked this list at all.
Headed into 2026, Campbell is likely the least of defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard's problems. The linebacker is going to be the captain of the defense once again, and might need to offer some "veteran" guidance to rookie Jimmy Rolder if he ends up leapfrogging Malcolm Rodriguez on the depth chart this season.
READ MORE: Analyst reveals a frightening worst-case scenario for Lions' defense in 2026
As also noted by NFL.com's list and their pro insight for Campbell:
"Jack Campbell set career bests in 2025 with a 15.2 quarterback pressure percentage, 100 defensive stops and seven quick quarterback pressures (under three seconds) despite blitzing a career-low 17.7%."
Campbell becoming a consistent pass rush factor for the Lions, amid so many question marks floating over that room's head, could be an excellent fix for a weaker spot with their defense overall.
And, if Derrick Barnes can finally tap back into the potential that the Lions saw in him as a former edge rusher turned linebacker, the Lions suddenly have a dangerous duo in both coverage and at the line of scrimmage headed into the year. At minimum, though, it's clear that Campbell's impactful enough to carry the Lions defense in a critical impending season.
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