Iowa's Jack Campbell is the definition of an elite linebacker

The Iowa Hawkeyes got dunked on a bunch this season for having one of the worst offenses in recent college football memory. 

The offense was so putrid for much of the season that the stench of it actually covered up one of the best individual seasons in recent college football history.

That's right, Iowa's offense was so bad that there's a case to be made that Hawkeyes linebacker Jack Campbell suffered for it — at least in terms of national recognition.

In a season in which Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams dazzled and bluechip programs like Michigan and Georgia dominated, Campbell, deserved so much more national recognition for what he did at Iowa.

That could be said for Iowa's defense as a whole, of course. The Hawkeyes went 7-5 despite their awful offense and much of the credit should go to the unit that gave up just 277.9 yards per game — the fourth-best mark in the nation.

Iowa's defense was elite, and Campbell was its leader. He finished the season leading the Big Ten in tackles by a large margin. He notched 118. The second-best Big Ten tackler had 87. 

Campbell snagged two interceptions, recovered one fumble, forced one fumble, and also notched 3.5 tackles for loss. 

Campbell was, simply put, the best linebacker in the nation, and he won the Butkus Award — given to the top linebacker in college football — as a result. 

Along with that honor, the Iowa senior was also named the Nagurski-Wooden Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Butkus-Fitzgerald Big Ten Linebacker of the Year and he just came away with consensus All-America honors.

He'll play in Iowa's Music City Bowl matchup with Kentucky and will then likely be selected high in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Campbell is the very definition of an elite linebacker.