What Strategy Will Dan Campbell Take for Identifying a Tackler in the NFL Draft?

The Athletic's draft expert Dane Brugler has analyzed what Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell might do for the team heading into the NFL Draft. Brugler's projection for a first-round pick offers an interesting prospect.

"The Lions have been doing their homework on [Maxwell] Hairston, who ran a 4.28 40-yard dash at the combine and jumped almost 40 inches in the vertical at his pro day. He might not have the tackling consistency that Dan Campbell prefers, but his cover skills would upgrade Detroit's secondary," Brugler noted in a quote reshared by the Side Lion Report.

Brugler describes Hairston as a "competitive, lanky athlete who feels routes developing around him and plays with the reactionary movements and ball skills ...." Brugler argues, "If he makes the necessary improvements as a tackler, he has the talent to become a capable NFL starter early in his career." 

In the end, Coach Campbell needs to determine how he can obtain better physical playing ability from someone who comes off as an early-career starter. The question is whether Campbell wants to take a risk on someone who doesn't have the tackling consistency that Campbell desires from someone he could bring to his team next season.