NFL Mock Draft: Nick Baumgardner predicts 49ers to get Jihaad Campbell as Dre Greenlaw’s replacement

On Monday, NFL writer and analyst of The Athletic, Nick Baumgardner, released his latest 2025 NFL mock draft.

In that mock draft, Baumgardner projected that the San Francisco 49ers would find their replacement for linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who departed the club via free agency this offseason.

With the No. 11 overall pick, the 49ers selected Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Jihaad Campbell.

As Baumgardner noted:

"It’s hard to compare people to Micah Parsons. Campbell isn’t as fast as the Cowboys’ dynamic superstar, but he’s not that far off — and he’s probably at least as explosive. As was the case with Parsons when he came out of college, Campbell hasn’t scratched the surface with regard to all the things he can do on a football field."

This offseason, Greenlaw signed a contract with the Denver Broncos, something that has opened up a need at the linebacker position for San Francisco.

Campbell has all the talent to help the 49ers defensively. In 2024 for the Crimson Tide, Campbell had 119 total tackles, 55 solo tackles, five sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception, a truly remarkable stat line.

Elsewhere on the defensive unit, the San Francisco 49ers lost defensive lineman Javon Hargrave to the Minnesota Vikings, safety Talanoa Hufanga to the Denver Broncos, cornerback Charvarius Ward to the Indianapolis Colts, CB Isaac Yiadom to the New Orleans Saints and CB Rock Ya-Sin to the Detroit Lions, all via free agency.

Can Jihaad Campbell help the San Francisco 49ers defensive unit?

Jihaad Campbell has the chance to improve the San Francisco defense in 2025. Although they played in Super Bowl 58 two years ago, the 49ers struggled defensively in 2024.

The unit allowed 25.6 points per game last year, a value that ranked No. 29 in the National Football League. This statistic was after the 49ers had the third-best defensive unit in the entire league in 2023, when they allowed only 17.5 points per game.

With various players leaving the franchise this offseason in what has been a reset and retool of sorts for the organization, Jihaad Campbell has the chance to firmly establish himself in the San Francisco defensive unit next year and for years to come as well.