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The Philadelphia Eagles have been on a roll in the NFL Draft. Not only have they been able to locate players who have provided immediate impacts on the field, but they've done so with stars who fell right into their lap.
On Thursday, the 31st overall pick, linebacker Jihaad Campbell, is just the latest addition to that reality.
Campbell was considered one of the best overall players in the 2025 draft with his work as an off-ball linebacker and edge rusher. His hybrid role made him a top player of choice for many teams around the league.
Things changed when he suffered a shoulder injury during the pre-draft process. A top prospect fell all the way into the 20s and eventually the 30s -- right into the waiting arms of Eagles general manager Howie Roseman.
"Excited to have him. Real excited to have him," Roseman said. "Wasn't really something we anticipated. Understand some of the other teams may have reasons for taking other players, but for us, this was a real easy pick. Really explosive player. He can play inside, he can be an edge rusher, just really feel fortunate to bring him back home to Philly.
"This was a top-10 player on our board, we do not have any long-term concerns with his health. We look at the draft as a long-term opportunity for our team. We have a lot of confidence that this guy is going to be here and play at a really high level for a long time... for us it was a no-brainer."
Campbell will need to recover from his shoulder injury, but he is expected to be an immediate help for a defense that saw improved linebacker play last season thanks to All-Pro Zack Baun and upstart star Nakobe Dean.
Dean's leg injury from the playoffs last season means he may not be ready for the start of the 2025 season, though.
That made the steal of Campbell something the organization could celebrate. Once Dean is healthy, though, the organization seems to have different plans for the linebacker.
And those plans could mirror the kind of hybrid look that Micah Parsons has shown over his career as well.
Continue reading...
On Thursday, the 31st overall pick, linebacker Jihaad Campbell, is just the latest addition to that reality.
Campbell was considered one of the best overall players in the 2025 draft with his work as an off-ball linebacker and edge rusher. His hybrid role made him a top player of choice for many teams around the league.
Things changed when he suffered a shoulder injury during the pre-draft process. A top prospect fell all the way into the 20s and eventually the 30s -- right into the waiting arms of Eagles general manager Howie Roseman.
"Excited to have him. Real excited to have him," Roseman said. "Wasn't really something we anticipated. Understand some of the other teams may have reasons for taking other players, but for us, this was a real easy pick. Really explosive player. He can play inside, he can be an edge rusher, just really feel fortunate to bring him back home to Philly.
"This was a top-10 player on our board, we do not have any long-term concerns with his health. We look at the draft as a long-term opportunity for our team. We have a lot of confidence that this guy is going to be here and play at a really high level for a long time... for us it was a no-brainer."
Campbell will need to recover from his shoulder injury, but he is expected to be an immediate help for a defense that saw improved linebacker play last season thanks to All-Pro Zack Baun and upstart star Nakobe Dean.
Dean's leg injury from the playoffs last season means he may not be ready for the start of the 2025 season, though.
That made the steal of Campbell something the organization could celebrate. Once Dean is healthy, though, the organization seems to have different plans for the linebacker.
And those plans could mirror the kind of hybrid look that Micah Parsons has shown over his career as well.
Related: Eagles Make Massive Trade Up, Draft LB Jihaad Campbell
Related: Latest Eagles Trade Of Star Still 'Shocking' And Costly
Related: Latest Eagles Trade Of Star Still 'Shocking' And Costly
Continue reading...
