Iowa Freshman Drawing Jack Campbell Comparison

Iowa Hawkeyes linebacker Cam Buffington made waves during the team's Week 8 matchup against the Minnesota Golden Gophers when he intercepted a pass from quarterback Drake Lindsey.

Now, the redshirt freshman is getting some major praise from his teammates as they prepare to take on Vandebilt in the ReliaQuest Bowl next week in Tampa, Florida.

“It was a good play,” defensive back Xavier Nwankpa said of Buffington. “When you’re a good player and the opportunity presents itself, you capitalize. He was able to, especially that game.”

Nwankpa went on to compare Buffington to a verifiable Hawkeyes legend who is making his name in the NFL.

“Kind of reminds me of Jack Campbell in some ways,” Nwankpa said. “He just flies around, makes plays, looks like he’s having fun out there and kind of controls the defense pretty well.”

Iowa's Cam Buffington Gets Huge Comparison

Campbell made a huge impact on Iowa from 2019 to 2022. In his final season, he received the Butkus Award, honoring the top linebacker in college football, as well as the William V. Campbell Trophy for academic achievements and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.

During the 2023 NFL Draft, Campbell was selected first round by the Detroit Lions, 18th overall, and named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team. 2025 has been his best professional season ever, recording five sacks and 143 total tackles (76 solo) with three regular season games still remaining.

Nov 27, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46) is seen against the Green Bay Packers during the first quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images | David Reginek-Imagn Images

When asked what, exactly, makes the two players so similar in his eyes, Nwankpa said the two are similar in size and named an undeniable presence on the field.

“They’re not the most vocal guys off the field. But on the field, kind of switching that mode and really get going. So I feel like they both have that capability," he said.

Iowa's Bowl Game Preparations

According to the Des Moines Register's Tyler Tachman, Buffington's name emerged over and over again when players were asked to name who stands out among the crowd during Bowl prep. While he didn't record too many statistics in 2025, his first season after electing to redshirt in 2024, Buffington has garned the admiration of his teammates.

“I think he’s just disciplined,” defensive end Ethan Hurkett said. “You can tell that he’s taking the game seriously, and that’s not always the case with younger guys like that. Sometimes, it takes a couple of years to kind of get traction and be laser-focused on what you’re doing. But I don’t think that’s been a problem with him. He’s already hungry and wants to take that next step.”

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