I don’t know if Jack Campbell can be regarded as the most forgotten pick of a stacked 2023 draft for the Lions that saw them walk away with Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch in addition to Campbell all within the first two rounds. He has, however, undoubtedly been the least impactful of the four.
That’s not to say he’s a bust or won’t make a name for himself on that Detroit defense. He’s entering the second year of his NFL career and despite any shortcomings you’ll see with rookies, you ultimately want to see any improvement from that first that first season and into the next…
Which linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard is certainly eluding to here…
“It’s hard to get a full tell, obviously, physically on the linebacker position during this time of year due to the physical nature that we play, especially here, but he’s exceeded my expectations which were already high,” linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard said this week. “He’s come back further along than where I expected.”
“I’m telling you it’s at another level,” Sheppard said. “This guy here’s operating like an eight-year vet as far as making the calls, how he sets the standard of how we practice as a defense, and I think other guys are starting to look towards him now.”
Pride of Detroit also points out that Sheppard just doesn’t just say these types of things to appease reporters or blow smoke to avoid any early camp controversies. It was noted that Sheppard offered up similar praise to linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez before he went on a tear.
What’s equally as encouraging with these comments from Sheppard is that they come after Campbell entrusted with the green dot on his helmet in the absence of Alex Anzalone. That meant that plays on defense were directly going through Campbell who additionally had the opportunity to make adjustments based on the formation of the offense.
If Campbell’s progress manages to transition to the regular season, the Lions could be on the verge of a major breakthrough on defense, especially after the changes they made to their secondary this offseason. Nonetheless, a top-10 defense in the NFL may not be out of the question.
