Every summer, we take an early look at prospects who could hear their names called in a future NFL Draft. Some players arrive with years of production and experience already on their résumés, while others are still trying to establish themselves as full-time contributors. Tennessee linebacker Amare Campbell falls into the first category.
After stops at North Carolina and Penn State, Campbell enters 2026 projected as Tennessee’s starting middle linebacker. His production has followed him across multiple programs, and his experience operating in different defensive systems gives evaluators plenty of tape to study as he enters the season.
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Position: Linebacker
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School: Tennessee
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Height: 6-foot-0
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Weight: 230 pounds
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Hometown: Manassas, Virginia
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High School: Unity Reed High School
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Previous Schools: North Carolina, Penn State
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Entering final season of eligibility
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Transfers to Tennessee after playing under Jim Knowles at Penn State
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Projected starting middle linebacker for Tennessee
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Started 27 career games entering 2026
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193 career tackles
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120 solo tackles
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22 tackles for loss
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10.5 sacks
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3 pass breakups
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1 interception
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1 forced fumble
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1 fumble recovery
2025 (Penn State)
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103 tackles
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64 solo tackles
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9.5 tackles for loss
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3 sacks
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Fumble recovery returned for touchdown
2024 (North Carolina)
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76 tackles
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10.5 tackles for loss
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6.5 sacks
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2 pass breakups
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1 forced fumble
2025
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769 defensive snaps
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70.2 defensive grade
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81.7 run defense grade
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68.1 coverage grade
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16 pressures
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5 sacks
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83 tackles
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46 stops
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14.6% missed tackle rate
2024
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758 defensive snaps
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72.0 defensive grade
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73.8 run defense grade
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84.1 coverage grade
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23 pressures
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8 sacks
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50 tackles
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25 stops
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9.6% missed tackle rate
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High football IQ
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Vocal pre-snap communicator
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Strong route recognition
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Good zone coverage awareness
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Maintains vision on the quarterback during drops
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Comfortable carrying coverage responsibilities from the slot
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Effective blitzer
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Quick downhill trigger
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Active feet before the snap
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Reliable wrap-up tackler
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Finishes well in space
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Good overall athleticism
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Pursues the football aggressively
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Diagnoses run concepts quickly
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Finds open rushing lanes effectively
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Versatile alignment experience
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Comfortable playing in traffic
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Consistently puts himself around the football
Campbell’s best trait may be his ability to process information before the play fully develops. Throughout the film study, he consistently communicated with teammates, identified motion, adjusted to offensive alignments and positioned himself to attack developing plays. His football intelligence shows up both before and after the snap.
In coverage, Campbell appears comfortable operating in space. He frequently keeps his eyes on the quarterback while dropping into zone responsibilities and shows awareness of route combinations developing around him. Tennessee should benefit from his experience here, as Campbell looks capable of handling multiple coverage assignments while remaining involved in the run fit.
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Against the run, Campbell wins more with anticipation and movement skills than overwhelming power. He does an excellent job finding open lanes, slipping traffic and arriving at the football before blockers can fully engage him. His ability to wrap up and finish in space consistently showed up on tape.
The biggest question entering 2026 revolves around how he handles larger blockers once they establish contact. Campbell will battle offensive linemen and isn’t afraid to attack downhill, but he is more effective avoiding blocks than consistently disengaging from them. Even with that concern, his combination of experience, production, athleticism and football IQ should keep him firmly on NFL radars throughout the season.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: 2027 NFL Draft Summer Scouting Report on Tennessee’s Amare Campbell
