Jihaad Campbell, Alabama’s leading tackler, declares for NFL Draft

Jihaad Campbell came to Alabama as an elite 5-star prospect and lived up to the hype across his career. Now, he’ll head to the 2025 NFL Draft after leading the Crimson Tide in every key statistical category during the 2024 season.

After limited playing time as a true freshman, Campbell burst onto the scene last year with 66 tackles, the 3rd-most on Alabama’s roster. He fully ascended during the 2024 season with a game-changing performance.

Campbell ended the year with team-high marks in tackles (117), TFL (12) and sacks (5) while tying for the team lead with 2 forced fumbles. His 117 tackles finished 4th in the SEC and tied for 19th nationally.

In the process, Campbell would be named a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award and the Butkus Award as a leader for the team transitioning into the Kalen DeBoer era. Here’s how Campbell revealed his news on social media:

I am forever grateful to the University of Alabama, Coach Nick Saban and Coach DeBoer for providing me with an opportunity to play the game I love at the highest levels, and I am blessed to be a part of the Crimson Tide family. This Bama brotherhood and the bonds I have built with all my teammates is truly special. I also want to thank Miss Mary for all her help with academics, may she rest in peace.

I feel like I am ready now to take the next step in my career. I have been blessed to make it to this point, and I cannot wait to see what the future has in store for me. With that, I will officially be declaring for the NFL Draft.

Paul Harvey

Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.