Steelers' answer at ILB already in black and gold at college level?

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a history of fielding great linebackers. It has been the calling card of the defense and the Super Bowl era is littered with Steelers Pro Bowl linebackers. The best of the Steelers linebackers during this period might have been the featured pair of Jack's in the 1970's. Jack Lambert, Jack Ham, and the criminally underrated Andy Russell might have been the best linebacker group in NFL history.

The Steelers currently have a Devin Bush-sized hole at inside linebacker. They are unlikely to retain him, and Myles Jack, Mark Robinson, and Robert Spillane all have their strengths, but they can’t be the top three next season in Pittsburgh if they hope to return to the playoffs. The answer to the problem is a player that has worn the black and gold for the past four seasons and should be available when the Steelers pick in the middle of the second round in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Jack Campbell won the Butkus Award as the top linebacker in college football and the William V Campbell Trophy awarded for academic excellence. He was a unanimous All-American selection and a two-time First Team All-Big 10 selection. He is a highly decorated collegiate player and compared to his predecessor, Bush is a veritable giant of a player at 6-foot-5.

Lambert and Campbell are very similar in height, with Campbell standing just one inch taller than the Steelers legend. Lambert, who was an exceptional coverage linebacker for the Steelers, may also be the most intimidating player in NFL history. Campbell is aggressive and one of the best college linebackers in recent memory, but his demeanor on the field more closely resembles the reserved, yet equally effective, Ham.

Campbell isn’t as fast as Bush, but his height and intelligence make him better in coverage and he attacks the run. It is unfair to say that Campbell, who has the traits to develop into a hybrid version of Ham and Lambert, is a surefire Hall of Famer. He isn’t as dynamic as Clemson Tiger linebacker, Trent Simpson in the middle of the defense, but Campbell plays the position very consistently and should improve any defense he is inserted into.

The Steelers have been searching for Ryan Shazier’s replacement for more than half a decade. Shazier was supposed to be the dynamic replacement for Troy Polamalu and he briefly was a special athlete that could freelance in the middle of the defense. The Steelers don’t play Dick LeBeau’s complicated defense anymore and the need for a freelancing player on that side of the ball isn’t as great. In fact, the attempt to force Bush to be that player hurt the defense substantially after he returned from knee surgery.

The Steelers pass rush with TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith is already formidable and if they are both healthy next season, could be an all-time great duo. The Steelers need disciplined players at inside linebacker and in the secondary who can take advantage of forced balls thrown to avoid the pass rush. A big linebacker, when teams elect to run, who maintains gap integrity and attacks the ball is something the Steelers have not had since Vince Williams was healthy.

Campbell is a big linebacker, intelligent, and should be able to play next to Jack. He should make a much bigger impact for the Steelers than they have had for years at the position. He is a throwback player, so fans shouldn’t expect a bunch of wow plays when he is on the field. Campbell is just a boring old inside linebacker who will be in position, make tackles and solidify the defense.

After four years of saying "Wow" when Bush was on the field, as in "Wow, I can’t believe he took that angle," it would be a welcome change to have a linebacker who is in position and makes plays. Campbell will be boringly consistent in the middle of the defense as a tackling machine who gives huge tight ends fits in coverage. Steelers fans will just have to get used to a string of ho-hum three-and-outs with the Iowa Hawkeyes star in the middle.