Jack Campbell is starting to look like the kind of player who can make an offseason ranking feel conservative.
The Detroit Lions took plenty of heat when they used a first-round pick on the linebacker in 2023, but that noise has aged badly. Campbell has become one of the most dependable defenders on the roster, a player who shows up in the run game, makes plays all over the field and keeps climbing the league-wide conversation.
That rise showed up again before the 2026 season, when Pro Football Focus analyst Bradley Locker ranked his top linebackers. Fred Warner of the San Francisco 49ers landed at No. 1, and Campbell checked in right behind him at No.
- Given the way Campbell has developed, that placement hardly feels like a surprise.
"The Lions received plenty of flak when they took Campbell in the first round three years ago, but he’s developed into one of the game’s most stout defensive players. Campbell’s overall PFF grade has augmented in every season of his career, culminating in a 90.3 grade that was the best among qualified linebackers in 2025. After receiving a four-year, $81 million extension this summer, the 25-year-old might only continue to improve while being the long-term focal point of Detroit’s defense."
His 2025 season made the case even louder. Campbell piled up 176 tackles, added five sacks and earned both a Pro Bowl nod and first-team All-Pro honors. That’s the kind of production that turns skepticism into praise fast.
Now the challenge is taking another step. If Campbell keeps producing at this level, there’s at least a path to catching Warner at the top of these rankings. He’s already established himself as one of the young leaders the Lions trust, and the next jump could put him in a class of his own.
What makes Campbell stand out even more is the way he talks about the work. He’s not treating camp like a place to coast. He wants the extra reps, the extra contact, the extra strain.
"That's the mentality I come in with. Give me it all.
I don't care. That's what I'm here for.
I'm trying to load myself up, especially playing special teams. I want to.
We'll see what happens. I did it last year, I'll do it again.
You got to call your body to run down on kickoff and get into a series. There's no excuses.
Doesn't matter that you just ran down, made a tackle or didn't make a tackle and you're tired. Right now, that's my thought process.
As many reps I can get, ones, twos, threes, fours, fives, I don't care who it's against, just let me get my body going."
That mindset is a big reason Campbell keeps moving up the ladder. He plays like a guy who wants every bit of work available, and that kind of approach tends to travel. For the Lions, it’s exactly the sort of foundation they want in the middle of their defense.
In Other News...
Ahmed Hassanein Just Gave Lions Fans A New Defensive Line Debate
The Lions opened preseason play with a loss to the Bengals, but there were still a few individual performances worth filing away. Rookie quarterback Luke Altmyer looked composed on offense, while wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa had a rough outing. On the other side of the ball, defensive end Ahmed Hassanein made sure his name stood out with a couple of notable plays against Joe Burrow.
Hassaneins pressure on the Cincinnati quarterback gave Detroit fans a fresh reason to watch the defensive line competition closely. Any preseason snap can shift the conversation for a young player, and sacks against a quarterback of Burrows caliber tend to get remembered. For a Lions group looking to sort out its rotation up front, Hassanein just made the debate a little more interesting. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Preseason Opener Put Several Roster Battles Suddenly In Focus
The Lions first preseason game against the Bengals did more than end in a 16-14 loss. It put a handful of roster races and role battles on display, with some of the younger names making a case for more looks and others reminding the coaching staff how thin the margin can be in August. Hassanein stood out with two sacks, while Saylors led Detroit in both rushing and receiving yards in a game that mostly belonged to the defense and the kinds of players trying to carve out jobs.
Jake Bates accounted for the Lions only points through the first three quarters, which made the offenses uneven night even harder to ignore. Isaac TeSlaa and Frazier both had mixed showings that included turnovers and penalties, the sort of mistakes that tend to carry extra weight this time of year. For a roster still taking shape, the opener offered an early snapshot of who is rising, who is fighting to steady himself, and who now has more work to do before the next cutdown conversation gets serious. [Read more 🡒]
Young Lions Made Their Case Even In A Sloppy Preseason Loss
The Lions 16-14 preseason loss to the Bengals still came with a few useful answers for a roster that is trying to sort itself out before the games count. Luke Altmyer had a solid debut even with interceptions on the stat sheet, and the young quarterback showed enough poise to keep the coaching staff interested. Elsewhere, Jacob Saylors made a case for himself as a potential RB3, while Nick Whiteside was among the defenders who stood out in a game that otherwise had plenty of slop.
Ahmed Hassaneins performance may have been the clearest example of why these August snaps matter. The edge rusher recorded two sacks and flashed the kind of disruptive play Detroit can use, while the guard rooms penalties kept undercutting the offenses rhythm. It was the sort of uneven preseason outing that left the scoreboard secondary to the evaluation, with several young Lions making a stronger argument for jobs than the final result might suggest. [Read more 🡒]