By Daniel 
Most NFL.com Analysts Think Bucs Will Draft Jihaad Campbell
NFL.com’s been trying to read the Bucs’ minds, and it looks like most of their experts think Tampa Bay is going to grab Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell in the first round.
The Bucs recently said they’re confident in SirVocea Dennis stepping up as a starting linebacker. He’s definitely talented, but let’s be real he hasn’t exactly been reliable health-wise. The guy barely played last year. He was on the field for all of five snaps in Week 4 before getting hurt and needing shoulder surgery. That was it for the season.
The team says they believe he can stay healthy now, but not everyone’s buying it. And when you’re building a Super Bowl contender, hope doesn’t cut it.
That’s why Jihaad Campbell was such an exciting option until news came out that he also had shoulder surgery after the combine. So now there’s some hesitation there, too.
Still, NFL.com rolled out this AI-powered draft tool called “Draft IQ” that tries to guess what teams will do based on past picks and current needs. Along with that, seven analysts gave their predictions for Tampa Bay’s pick at No. 19. Four of them went with Campbell.
Here’s a quick look at what they had to say:
– Eric Edholm thinks Campbell’s a top-15 talent and could be a steal for Tampa Bay.
– Charles Davis
says he fits Bowles’ defensive style and can bring pressure off the edge.
– Bucky Brooks calls him a playmaker who can really shake up the defense.
– Mike Band likes the idea of him learning from Lavonte David before eventually taking over leadership of the defense.
Makes sense, honestly.
Campbell would’ve been a dream pairing with Lavonte David a real nightmare combo for opposing offenses. But that surgery and the uncertainty around his recovery (some say he might miss up to eight months) has definitely cooled the hype.