Houston Texans: 6 Players to target in the third round of the NFL Draft

Jack Campbell LB, Iowa

The consensus on this year's linebacker class is that it doesn't have high-end talent, such as a first-round graded linebacker. Where it lacks in top-end talent, it makes up for throughout the second and third rounds with depth. That being said, Iowa's Jack Campbell is a player tailor-made for being the leader of DeMeco Ryans' defense.

I know, I have harped over and over about the different types of leaders Ryans wants, and Campbell fits the bill to a tee. He is an incredibly cerebral linebacker who is hard-nosed, gritty and loves playing the game.

Schematically, the 6'5", 243-pound linebacker is also a perfect fit to fill in next to last year's third-round selection Christian Harris. Harris is a coverage linebacker and smaller; however, he isn't the bruiser Campbell is, who can cover pretty well in the zone.

The 2022 Butkus Award winner and consensus All-American would be available this late in the draft due to some team's concerns about his lack of athleticism and size. In a world where linebackers are increasingly getting smaller and faster, Campbell is more of a throwback to the early 2000s linebacker. Now that doesn't mean he can't play at an NFL level, as his most elite trait is his ability to process a play and his play speed is way different than what we saw at the combine, where he ran a 4.65-second 40-yard dash.

With that being said, if Campbell is available at the top of the third round, I think the Texans would be all over drafting him. You can pair him and Harris for the next four years to man that defense.