He does not carry a “C” patch on his uniform for the University of Alabama football team, but don’t let any coaches or players hear you say that.
His leadership does not require a captain’s patch on his jersey.
Dad of former Alabama wide receiver admits he made his son leave Tide
He commands the respect of his teammates and coaches with how he plays, so his words are felt around the room. Jihaad Campbell has grown from a former five-star to a force at linebacker in the Southeastern Conference. The junior from New Jersey has taken on a mentality that resembles Rolando McClain, Reggie Ragland, Reuben Foster, and Ryan Anderson in terms of his aggressiveness and desire to win.
Alabama has had a spike in its urgency since the loss to Tennessee and Campbell serves as the catalyst to make sure everyone on defense is up to par. He led the Crimson Tide into Tiger Stadium with ‘violent intentions’ and forced LSU fans to go home early. Campbell posted 12 total tackles, three tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and a quarterback hurry in a dominant 42-13 victory over the Tigers. He leads the team in tackles with 76, including 43 solo tackles in nine games. The 6-foot-3, 244-pounder has nine stops for loss, four sacks, two pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and an interception. Christian Robinson, the Tide’s outside linebackers coach, feels Campbell’s impact all over this team.
AJ McCarron shares alarming story of players ‘sh**’ in Cade Foster’s shoes after the ‘Kick Six’
“If you are not going to give you all to Alabama in practice, then you don’t need to be here,” Robinson said to reporters in Wednesday’s media availability about Campbell’s message to the team. “That is something. Those guys see it, they talk about it, but he (Campbell) is one of those guys that lives it. The leadership on this team is what drives this team, and I am excited to see what they continue to do.”
He is playing like a first-round linebacker for the 2025 NFL Draft, but Campbell is focused on getting Alabama into the College Football Playoff and compete for a national championship opportunity. He is locked in on being the alpha leader that brings everyone on defense with him.
We will see how Campbell has his guys set to dominate Mercer this weekend on Saban Field.
*Get the BEST Alabama football insider information, message board access, and recruiting coverage today! SIGN UP HERE to unlock our subscriber-only content!*
Stephen M. Smith is the senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
