Jack Campbell 'still adjusting' to NFL action
Even the best college players can take some time to adjust to the action in the NFL. That seems to be the case for former Iowa LB Jack Campbell as he attempts to pick up the speed of the game in Detroit.
In an article from ESPN, Eric Woodyard updated the development of Campbell with the Lions at this point of the offseason. At the moment, it seems as though the former Hawkeye is coming along slowly just because of how much the staff is now asking him to comprehend. Still, if nothing else, they’ve credited him for trying to take steps forward, even though he has reached the point of being ‘hard on himself’.
“As expected, Campbell is still adjusting to the nuances of the NFL game,” Woodyard wrote. “Lions linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard is challenging him regularly. Lions coach Dan Campbell said the rookie has been hard on himself, which can be a ‘blessing and a curse,’ because they want him to move past his early mistakes.”
“Detroit is throwing a lot at Campbell as an inside linebacker and is asking him to play with vision. But he’s growing daily,” said Woodyard.
Woodyard also added an additional quote from Dan Campbell within his breakdown of Detroit’s 18th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He said that it simply seems to be a processing issue that he fully expects Campbell to adjust to.
“I think, like with any young player, he’s smart enough to understand what’s going on. But he’s not processing it fast enough because he’s young,” said Dan Campbell. “It gets on him fast. The speed of the game’s different and that’ll come.”
There’s no doubting Campbell’s prowess as a defender. In his four year career in Iowa City, he posted 299 tackles, nine pass deflections, five interceptions (with one going for a touchdown), three sacks, and three forced fumbles. Much of that production came when he was an upperclassman with totals of 265 tackles, six pass deflections, four interceptions, two sacks, and two forced fumbles as a junior and senior.
Even so, that doesn’t mean it will immediately translate for him in the pros. It’s a process and, as of now, it sounds as Campbell is right in the thick of it in the Motor City.
Jahmyr Gibbs’ speed, pass-catching standing out with Detroit
Lions coach Dan Campbell certainly has a multi-faceted talent in rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs, the team’s surprise pick in April’s NFL Draft.
Gibbs showed off his speed and ability to catch passes during the Lions’ OTAs and recently completed mini-camp. That versatility probably pushed him to the 12th pick. With the Lions, he’s lining up at both receiver and tailback. And that gives the Detroit offense several options without needing to sub out personnel packages.
“He can catch it; he can run it,” Lions quarterback Jared Goff told reporters on the first day of minicamp. “We’re excited about him. He’s done a hell of a job as well as a rookie. Learning, picking things up, asking the right questions. And (he) can do some special things with the ball in his hands. So we’re excited about that.”
“The Lions have one main ask of Gibbs. “Be physical. Just show physicality in every sense,” said Lions running backs coach Scottie Montgomery. “I know this guy’s skill set from a speed, quickness, mental. I want him to be physical. If you’re a tough team, you don’t get toughness from the big guys. The big guys are going to be tough. If you’re a tough team, you’re small guys are tough.”
Montgomery added: “You can’t play at the University of Alabama if you don’t have a level of physicality to you.”