Jihaad Campbell: “I feel like I’m Mr. Can-Do-It-All; I’m a Swiss Army knife.”

INDIANAPOLIS- On Wednesday, the media got the opportunity to hear from linebackers, defensive lineman, and placekickers before these groups participate in drills Thursday afternoon.

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Among the linebacker group was Jihaad Campbell, who impressed the media with his wisdom and character. Campbell is one of the most talked-about athletes ahead of this year's National Football League Draft. Campbell's future looks bright as he has been projected to be a first-round selection since declaring.

Many have opinions on the kind of athlete he is due to his versatility. Of course, Campbell has an opinion of his own regarding the kind of player he is. "I feel like I'm Mr. Can-Do-It-All; I'm a Swiss Army knife. I can blitz through the A-gap, I can come off the edge, I can play middle run or Tampa 2, I can drop, strong hook, hook curl, whatever you want me to do. I can play man to man on the receiver, tight end, running back, anything," said Campbell.

During his time at Alabama, he was known for his leadership qualities and being a dependable player. He talked a little bit about being a leader and what his experience has to offer. "Just being one of those guys and one of those players who is a leader. Having that leadership role, whether it's Mike, sam backer, or outside backer, wherever it is, wherever I can be a key contributor to any organization," said Campbell.

Being a leader is clearly within Campbell, and he showed it often during his time at Alabama. He moved into more of a leadership role doing the 2024-25 season, but many wondered why there were times that other players had a different role in place of Campbell."I told my defensive coordinator, position coach, and head coach, that I want to be a leader. I want to be a key contributor to whatever I can do, and if that's me going to inside (backer) and having someone else go to outside so that they can get production and create their rally too and help the team, so be it, let's do it," said Campbell when asked if it was a game plan or if he was trying to create more opportunities for other guys.

Campbell began showing his versatile play during his breakout season in 2023-24. It's one thing that a lot of scouts find attractive, and so does Campbell. "I love to show my versatility when I'm in coverage playing Tampa 2, middle run. They think a big guy like me can't cover those guys, you know, going down the field vertically, so I think that's one of my biggest gains and obviously rushing the passer," said Campbell when asked what's his favorite role to play on the field.

Campbell possess many great qualities; above all, he believes his best quality is his ability to learn, and it is the thing he's most excited about while playing in the NFL. "Just learning, just learning from the vets. I think that's one of my best abilities, just having that will to learn, having that will to win, and that drive and passion for the game that I love, which is football. I really can't wait to meet these guys in the locker room, talk about the playbook, and get to it."

This selfless attitude should benefit Campbell in his professional career, as it exemplifies what it takes to prioritize your team's success while possessing leadership qualities.

According to Jihaad Campbell, he has met with the following teams so far: the New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Detroit Lions (these were the teams he was asked about during media availability).

Stay tuned for more updates regarding Campbell throughout the week.