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2025 NFL Draft prospect profile – Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama

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2025 NFL Draft prospect profile – Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama


Linebacker play could be on the verge of returning to it’s old level of importance in the NFL.

The surge in defenses running two-high coverage shells to counter explosive passing offenses has allowed for a resurgence in running games league-wide. Considering that the base defense is now a nickel look, that places even more importance on finding versatile linebackers.

Alabama’s Jihaad Campbell brings near DB-like movement skills as well as the ability to defend the run and rush the passer.

The Giants’ linebackers have improved significantly over the last couple years, but could Campbell be a curveball to push them over the top?

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Prospect: Jihaad Campbell (11)
Games Watched: vs. Georgia (2024), vs. UCLA (2024), vs. Missouri (2024), vs. LSU (2024)

Measurables

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Kent Lee Platte | RAS.football

Strengths

Best traits

  • Athleticism
  • Range
  • Versatility
  • Processing speed

Jihaad Campbell is a smart, versatile, and explosively athletic linebacker prospect.

Campbell has solid size for a modern off-ball linebacker at 6-foot-3, 235 pounds, while also having great speed, agility, and explosiveness. He is an excellent athlete for the position, combining sideline-to-sideline range with movement skills that look more like a defensive back’s than a linebacker.

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Campbell was asked to play a variety of roles in the Alabama defense, lining up as both an inside and outside linebacker, as well as up on the line of scrimmage. He was primarily used as an off-ball linebacker and space player, though he was also asked to threaten gaps as a (potential) blitzer. Whether Campbell blitzed or not depended on the play call, but his athleticism makes him an effective rusher as well as coverage player.

He has excellent range when dropping into coverage, quickly getting depth on his zone drops. Campbell has quick feet and fluid hips for a player of his size, allowing him to turn and run with tight ends or running backs in space. He also executes a “W” drill – dropping before planting a foot and driving down hill – almost like a jumbo-sized safety.

Campbell appears to be a smart defender with very good processing speed. He commits hard and fast once he sees the play develop, and typically diagnoses quickly after the snap.

Weaknesses

Worst traits

Campbell is an excellent linebacker prospect, however there are a couple issues in his profile and he’s still something of a work in progress.

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Most notably, Campbell lacks size compared to the “traditional” linebacker archetype. It’s a trade-off for his impressive athleticism and movement skills, but he lacks mass and play strength compared to some other linebackers. Campbell can struggle to stack and shed offensive linemen, and even be overwhelmed by bigger tight ends. He’s much better when allowed to use his speed and agility to slip past blockers, but that isn’t always possible.

Likewise, Campbell can also be a bit of a drag-down tackler. While he’s pretty reliable when it comes to getting ball carriers on the ground, it can lead to “leaky” yardage that can add up when ball carriers can carry him for a yard or two at a time.

Finally, Campbell is more of a “see and chase” linebacker than a truly instinctive player at this point in his development. He typically processes quickly, but he needs to see the play begin to develop before he launches into motion.

Game Tape

(Campbell is the Alabama linebacker wearing number 11 and a sleeve on his left arm.)

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Projection

Jihaad Campbell projects as a starting off-ball linebacker at the NFL level.

He would likely be best as a WILL linebacker and could be better used as a coverage or pursuit player, at least to start his career. Campbell has fantastic movement skills and great range in space, but he’s still developing as a downhill player. He’s an impact player when he can fly to the ball, and his future defense should take advantage of that.

More aggressive defenses should also look for opportunities to use Campbell in their blitz designs, either scheming him rush opportunities or using him to cover for blitzing defensive backs.

There’s room on his frame for a bit more mass to improve his play strength, however teams should be wary of compromising the athleticism that makes him special. Jihaad Campbell should be able to win a starting job right away, and has the potential to be a Pro Bowl player if he fully unlocks his potential.

Does he fit the Giants?
Yes, though value might not align

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Final Word: A first round talent



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Alabama NAACP Releases 2026 Selma Jubilee Weekend Schedule

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Alabama NAACP Releases 2026 Selma Jubilee Weekend Schedule


The Alabama State Conference of the NAACP has announced its official schedule for the 2026 NAACP-sponsored Selma Jubilee Bridge Crossing Weekend, set for March 6–8 in Montgomery and Selma.

Held under the theme “A Time for Standing,” the annual commemoration honors the Foot Soldiers of the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery marches and recognizes the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., John Lewis and Rev. Jesse Jackson for their roles in advancing civil rights and voting access.

The three-day event will bring together national, state and local leaders, along with youth and college chapters, faith partners and community members for activities focused on reflection, education and civic engagement.

Scheduled events include a civic discussion titled “The New Civic Path” on March 6 at the Montgomery Interpretive Center at Alabama State University, followed by a Jubilee Gala that evening at Embassy Suites in Montgomery. On March 7, the Birmingham Metro Branch will host a bus trip to Selma, while a statewide civic engagement training will take place in Montgomery.

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SEE ALSO: Bridge Crossing Jubilee to honor Rev. Jesse Jackson’s legacy in Selma
SEE ALSO: 16th Street Baptist Church: Keeping a Legacy Alive 63 Years Later

On March 8, participants will take part in the Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee Parade, voter activation efforts, worship services at Brown Chapel AME Church and Tabernacle Baptist Church, and the traditional bridge crossing at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

Organizers say the weekend will emphasize continued civic participation and community engagement across Alabama.

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March 6 — Alabama NAACP Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee Gala 5:30PM Embassy Suites by Hilton, 300 Tallapoosa St, Montgomery, AL 36104

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March 7 — NAACP Birmingham Metro Branch Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee Bus Trip 8AM–5PM Broad Street and Water Avenue in Selma Alabama

March 7 — Alabama State NAACP Statewide Civic Engagement Training 8–4:15PM Homewood Suites, 7800 EastChase Pkwy, Montgomery, AL 36117

March 8 — Alabama State NAACP in the Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee Parade 8AM–10AM Begins at 1722 Broad St and concludes at the National Voting Rights Museum

March 8 — Alabama NAACP Statewide Bridge Crossing Jubilee Bus Trip 8AM–5PM Alabama State University, Untenese and Mobile Branch and University of Alabama, Oakwood University, Broad Street and Water Avenue, Selma

March 8 — Alabama NAACP Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee Participation in Worship Services 10AM–2PM Brown Chapel AME Church and Tabernacle Baptist Church, Selma

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March 8 — Alabama NAACP Youth and College Civic Engagement Voter Activation 8AM–2PM Broad Street and Water Ave, Selma

March 8 — Alabama NAACP Statewide Bridge Crossing 11:15PM – Line up Alabama NAACP Tent on Waters Ave or at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge, Selma



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3 Alabama players who helped their draft stock at 2026 NFL combine

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3 Alabama players who helped their draft stock at 2026 NFL combine



Each player had a pivotal role on the Crimson Tide in 2025.

Alabama had a multitude of former players who performed at an elite level at the NFL combine this past weekend.

Former Alabama star quarterback Ty Simpson was among those who put his talents on full display in Indianapolis, as Simpson continues to emerge as a top quarterback prospect available in April’s draft.

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Numerous Crimson Tide stars on both sides of the football were able to have an excellent showing at the combine as well, with each playmaker a vital component to the Tide’s success in 2025.

Here are three Alabama players who helped their draft stock rise at the NFL combine.

Ty Simpson, Quarterback

Simpson is widely regarded as the best quarterback prospect available outside of Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza. The talented redshirt junior put on an absolute show at the NFL combine, as Simpson delivered multiple perfect throws and put his talents on full display throughout Saturday’s events.

The former Alabama star is a candidate to potentially shine day one in his campaign in the NFL, as Simpson’s draft stock continues to rise prior to April.

Jam Miller, Running Back

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Miller is an extremely fast and athletic running back, despite struggling in the Tide’s backfield last season. The star running back recorded an impressive 4.43u 40-yard dash time, as Miller could very easily shine in the NFL next season with consistent playing time.

Miller was nothing short of elite throughout his entire performance at the combine in Indianapolis, as the former Tide running back continues to rise in a multitude of draft rankings around the football world.

Kadyn Proctor, Offensive Tackle

Proctor played a crucial role on Alabama’s offensive line last season. The star lineman reportedly slimmed down prior to the NFL combine, as Proctor displayed elite speed and athleticism throughout Sunday’s combine in Indianapolis.

Proctor is widely expected to be a mid-to-late first round selection in April, as the talented lineman’s efforts during the combine could quickly begin to work in Proctor’s favor during next month’s draft.

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The 2026 NFL draft will take place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania starting on April 23, as each Crimson Tide star will look to shine throughout their rookie campaign in the NFL.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.





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Husband, 19, fatally shot wife, 24, himself at Alabama hospital moments after welcoming their first child

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Husband, 19, fatally shot wife, 24, himself at Alabama hospital moments after welcoming their first child


A husband fatally shot his wife before turning the gun on himself at an Alabama hospital just moments after they welcomed their first child on Sunday.

Kynath Terry Jr., 19, gunned down 24-year-old Precious Johnson before fatally shooting himself inside the Baptist Health Brookwood Hospital around 9:30 p.m. Sunday night, WTVM 13 reported.

Johnson delivered a healthy baby just before she was murdered. It’s not immediately clear if the baby was present during the shooting, but police said that Terry and Johnson were the only ones injured.

Kynath Terry Jr., 19, shot 24-year-old Precious Johnson at an Alabama hospital after she gave birth to their child. WVTM

Terry’s mother told the outlet that the couple were having some marital issues leading up to Johnson’s due date, but nothing that made her fear her son would become violent.

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She told the outlet that Terry completed Army National Guard training before tying the knot with Johnson.

She noted that Johnson didn’t want Terry’s side of the family at the hospital for her child’s birth, but it’s unclear if anyone from the mother-to-be’s own family was there.

The hospital was plunged into a lockdown “out of an abundance of caution” while police investigated reports of a shooting. It wasn’t lifted until hours later when they determined there was “no active threat to patients, team members or the public,” the outlet reported.

The Homewood Police Department described the tragedy as “an apparent murder-suicide and is domestic in nature.”

Terry completed Army National Guard training before marrying Johnson. WVTM
The shooting sent Brookwood Baptist Medical Center into an hours-long lockdown. Google Maps

Danne Howard, the president of the Alabama Hospital Association, told the outlet that the chilling attack “was an isolated incident” unlike anything she’d encountered during her three decades working in the state.

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Howard said, in the wake of the tragedy, the Baptist Health Brookwood Hospital would undergo a security overhaul implementing “lessons learned” from a mandated after-action report.

Just three months ago, in a town six miles outside of Homewood, a beloved sports reporter was fatally shot by her husband before taking his own life. Their 3-year-old son, who was unharmed, led his grandfather to his parents’ bodies.



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