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2023 NFL Draft: 5 Players to Watch from the Big Ten During the 2022 Season

By Kyle Edmond

COLUMBUS, OHIO - NOVEMBER 20: C.J. Stroud #7 of the Ohio State Buckeyes drops back to pass during the first half of a game against the Michigan State Spartans at Ohio Stadium on November 20, 2021 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OHIO - NOVEMBER 20: C.J. Stroud #7 of the Ohio State Buckeyes drops back to pass during the first half of a game against the Michigan State Spartans at Ohio Stadium on November 20, 2021 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) /
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Jack Campbell, 2023 NFL Draft, Big Ten
2023 NFL Draft prospect Jack Campbell #31 of the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten(Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images) /

2023 NFL Draft Big Ten Prospect #2: Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa

Linebacker has been an underrated position in recent NFL Drafts, but the position remains important on the field. Emphasis on secondary and edge has pushed linebackers down draft boards, but finding a gem at this position can transform a defense. One player with that level of potential from the Big Ten is Jack Campbell. After playing a grand total of seven games over his first two seasons at Iowa, Campbell burst onto the scene in 2021. Playing 14 games for the Hawkeyes, Campbell tallied 140 tackles, making his presence felt all over the field. He also added six passes defended and two interceptions.

Standing 6-foot-5, Campbell has a big frame that can be difficult to throw over for quarterbacks looking for options over the middle. His ability to disrupt the pass combined with being one of the top tacklers in the nation a season ago should draw NFL interest for Campbell. If he can continue to improve and perhaps show more ability to get into the backfield for tackles, then Campbell has the potential to sneak into the first round in the 2023 NFL Draft. Even if he just maintains from last season he should make a fine addition to any NFL club.

2023 NFL Draft Big Ten Prospect #3: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State

Ohio State has become a wide receiver pipeline to the NFL Draft. The 2022 NFL Draft saw Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson go in the first round. Other NFL players at the wide receiver position that are former Buckeyes include Terry McLaurin, Michael Thomas and many more. The next to add his name to that list will likely be Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Despite the roster competition with Olave and Wilson, both of whom went in the first round of the 2022 draft, Smith-Njigba still managed to turn heads last season. Not only did he turn heads, he led the team in receiving yards with over 1,600.

Now, Olave and Wilson dominated the end zone, each reaching double-digits, but Smith-Njigba wasn’t far behind with nine of his own. With Olave and Wilson now in the NFL, this could be Smith-Njigba’s show in 2022. Ohio State will continue to have talent cycle through the position, so there will be others that compete with Smith-Njigba for touches, but he should be the focal point of this passing game. There’s a real chance that Stroud and Smith-Njigba partner up and find themselves both inside the top-10, if not the top-5, of the 2023 NFL Draft.

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