Jihaad Campbell’s reputation as a freak athlete has followed him since high school, but it’s not just the raw physicality that’s driving his NFL Draft stock skyward. It’s the presence—the vocal command in the huddle, the way he sets the tone on and off the field, and how he leads with a rare mix of edge and poise. Now projected as one of the top linebackers in the 2025 NFL Draft, Campbell’s journey from a raw edge rusher in high school to Alabama’s versatile defensive anchor is laced with grit, trust, and one unforgettable pivot moment with a certain legendary head coach.

When Jihaad Campbell first arrived in Tuscaloosa, he was still figuring out the lay of the land, let alone the intricacies of LB responsibilities in Nick Saban’s notoriously complex defensive schemes. During one of his early meetings with Saban, the course of Campbell’s football future shifted—dramatically. “No, so I was playing edge in high school, right?” Campbell recalled on The Rich Eisen Show.

“And, you know, just coming to Alabama, I had to meet with Saban. I just knew Sam and Jack linebacker, and Saban was like, ‘Yeah, can he play Will linebacker?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah,’ mind you, I don’t even know what the position is. So he said, ‘You know what that is?’ I said, ‘Nah.’ He said, ‘Okay, well, that’s our middle linebacker position. You know, we’ll be using you in the box and sometimes in the apex or on the edge.’ And I was like, ‘Okay, definitely.’ So that point right there, I was like, all right, let’s do it. Let’s lock it in and we gonna go for a ride. We gonna accept this challenge and just keep on pushing with it.” That was the Saban effect—finding potential and molding it with trust, even if it meant tossing a kid into the fire and watching him evolve.

But trusting the GOAT coach came with its own learning curve. Jihaad Campbell pulled back the curtain on what it was really like being coached by a man known as much for his sideline fire as his Hall of Fame résumé. “It’s a little challenging, I don’t know. You could be coached by—I don’t know, Rich,” Campbell told Rich Eisen with a laugh.

“Yeah, it’s definitely good just being with Coach. I mean, the years that I was with him, which was my freshman and sophomore year—you see him exactly right there. Just, I mean, he literally straight chews people out. I mean, you know, the first year I was there was definitely a lot of that. But then it grew into having a better relationship and just having a better understanding of what football was, and just how to play linebacker, and what my role was for the team. So I definitely appreciate him, you know, for just letting me be the player of who I became to be.”

That mentorship—equal parts tough love and tactical brilliance—eventually helped unlock the 6’3” stud’s instincts and responsibilities as an LB. No longer just an edge disruptor, he became a Swiss Army knife in Alabama’s scheme. Able to drop into coverage, read gaps, and set the tone in run support. But the former five-star also understood that true leadership wasn’t just about play recognition or physical dominance—it was about influence. And as he matured, that became his biggest badge of honor.

“Just coming in as a freshman and just being one of those guys that tries to do the right thing,” JC shared during a Thursday appearance on Good Morning Football. “Try to be around the guys like Henry To’oTo’o, Will Anderson, Dallas Turner, my guy Chris Braswell, that’s at Tampa right now. So, just understanding that vocal leadership role and knowing how to hold others accountable, as well as yourself.” It’s no surprise Campbell gravitated toward those veterans. Each one of them helped set a tone in the Alabama locker room—whether it was Anderson’s relentless motor, Braswell’s IQ, or To’oTo’o’s cool command—and Campbell absorbed it all.

Now on the doorstep of the NFL, Jihaad Campbell sees himself as the next in that Crimson Tide lineage of defensive standard-bearers. His tape shows a linebacker with sideline-to-sideline range, instincts in zone drops, and a thumper mentality in short-yardage. But more than that, it reveals a player shaped by the grind, by the film room chew-outs, and by the belief of a coach who saw beyond the edge rusher label.

Seattle eyes a Saban-stud: Jihaad Campbell on Seahawks’ radar for 2025

Don’t count out the Seahawks going defense in Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft—and Bama linebacker Jihaad Campbell might just be their guy. According to Emerald City Spectrum’s Corbin Smith, Campbell visited Seattle on Tuesday, and that’s no casual coffee chat. It’s clear the front office is doing its homework.

Campbell, a former 5-star recruit, made serious noise in 2024 for the Crimson Tide. In 35 games (21 starts), he racked up 117 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, an interception, three pass deflections, and two forced fumbles. In other words, he was everywhere. At 6’3″, 235 pounds, he’s built like a classic thumper but moves like a modern-day chess piece — the kind of rare athlete you love to have patrolling the middle of your defense.

Could he be an upgrade over Vi Jones or Jon Rhattigan in the middle? Absolutely. And let’s not forget—this is a Nick Saban product. Campbell’s already polished in ways that scream “Day 1 starter.” He’s projected to be a first-rounder. This could be a sneaky-good match, especially for a team that loves versatile, sideline-to-sideline playmakers.