The Philadelphia Eagles came away with a 24-20 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1. The biggest storyline to come out of the game was Jalen Carter being ejected for spitting on Cowboys QB Dak Prescott, which the NFL is reviewing already. Fortunately, the early reports indicate that Carter may not get suspended.
Nonetheless, Carter wasn't the only Eagles defender who garnered attention beneath the Thursday Night Football spotlight. One of the biggest winners of the night was rookie Philadelphia linebacker Jihaad Campbell, who made plays all over the field.
Granted, it was just one game, but Campbell looks like a perfect match in this defense, and the 30 teams that picked ahead of Philadelphia may be regretting that decision.
Jihaad Campbell Played Excellent in Eagles Debut
Campbell started next to Zack Baun in this outing and played in all 56 defensive snaps. In those reps, Campbell made his presence felt, logging three total tackles, one forced fumble, one pass deflection, and one reception allowed for minus-3 yards. He also had a 56.3 passer rating allowed in coverage.
According to Pro Football Focus, he finished with an 88.3 overall grade, which was the highest grade for any Eagles defender. He also 72.4 run defense grade, and an 85.9 coverage grade.
The Eagles knew they were getting an athletic defender at the second level, but the fact that he played well this quickly in his career shows what he's capable of. Philadelphia needed him after Nakobe Dean suffered a torn patellar tendon in the Wild Card Round against the Green Bay Packers.
The biggest thing that flashed on the field was Campbell's speed at the second level. He can fly sideline to sideline and has the athleticism to be a capable pass defender. The Eagles already have a stud linebacker in Baun, but if Campbell plays like this for the bulk of the 2025 season, teams around the league will regret the decision to pass on him.
Of course, Campbell won't play this well in every matchup this season. Growing pains are all a part of a rookie campaign, but he clearly has the traits to be an effective force for this team. The Eagles already know what they have in Baun, and if Campbell continues to play at this level, Philadelphia's defense will take another jump, further adding to the regret that every other franchise feels for passing him over in April.