Cam Buffington LB Iowa |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #33 PLAY STYLE: MULI-ROLE LB | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 11/02/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.59 seconds (81%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jersey: #33 | |
| PLAY STYLE: MULI-ROLE LB | |
| Last Updated: 11/02/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.59 seconds (81%*) | |
| Overall Rating: |
79.0 / 100
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
|
74% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
|
86% |
| Pass Rush: |
|
73% |
| Run Defense: |
|
90% |
| Coverage: |
|
80% |
|
DRAFT PROJECTION:
UDFA
Overall Rank:
#260
Position rank:
#32 (LB)
|
||
| College Games: 11 College Snaps: 467 | ||
ESPN RATING: 80/100
|
||
|
247 RATING: 90/100
|
||
RIVALS RATING: 5.7 (93%)
|
||
| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Chad Muma - Wyoming |
|
89% |
| Kaleb Elarms-Orr - TCU |
|
85% |
| Teddye Buchanan - California |
|
83% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Cam Buffington played eight-man football at Winfield-Mount Union High School in Iowa, where he ran for 1,362 yards, caught passes for 613 more, scored 36 touchdowns and made 106 tackles as a senior. He was also the state champion in the long jump and lettered four times in basketball.Buffington did not play in his first season at Iowa in 2024 and appeared in six games in 2025, returning an interception 26 yards against Minnesota and earning Academic All-Big Ten honors.
He took over at middle linebacker in 2026 and leads the Big Ten in tackles, earning a place among the Butkus Award semifinalists. He made 15 tackles in the 16-13 win over Iowa State on 12 September and had two sacks in the 41-24 win at Washington, the first of his career. He has 35 stops this season, most of them against the run.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Rare athlete for the middle, a state long jump champion who closes on the ball in a hurry
- Diagnoses runs quickly and arrives downhill, with seven stops against Iowa State
- Two sacks at Washington show he can time his blitzes from the second level
- Leads the Big Ten in tackles in his first season as a starter
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Seven missed tackles, with two each against Northern Illinois and Washington
- Coverage is still developing, allowing 10 catches on 13 targets underneath
- Only one season of starting experience after a high school career in eight-man football
- Technique against climbing guards is still raw, and he can be held up on blocks
- As a redshirt sophomore with eligibility left, he may well return to Iowa
Scouting Report: Summary
Buffington has gone from eight-man football to the top of the Big Ten tackle chart in one season, and the tape shows why. He reads run plays fast, has rare speed for a middle linebacker and arrives with intent, as his 15-tackle game against Iowa State and his two sacks at Washington showed.However, he is in his first season in the lineup, and it shows at times. His coverage underneath is still developing, he has missed seven tackles, and guards who get a clean climb to him can stall him. He also has plenty of eligibility left.
Overall, Buffington has the athletic traits and instincts that point to a bigger future. He projects as a priority free agent if he declares, though his draft value would likely climb with another season in Iowa's system.
How other scouting services rate Cam Buffington (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
376.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
46.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.