The Philadelphia Eagles made a big move on draft night to address their defense that lost a ton of pieces since the Super Bowl, trading up to select Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft — and they’re calling it a steal.
Eagles Executive Vice President and General Manager Howie Roseman said Campbell was a top-10 player on their draft board, and while they didn’t expect him to be available in the twenties, let alone the thirties, they weren’t going to risk missing out.
“We made a small trade up just to ensure that we could get him,” Roseman said. “There were a lot of trades in the twenties, and so we just wanted to make sure that someone didn't jump ahead of us. For us, this was a really easy pick.”
Campbell, a Philadelphia-area native and Alabama standout, brings an explosive skillset that has both Roseman and head coach Nick Sirianni fired up. Roseman emphasized Campbell’s versatility, calling him a “front seven player” who can both rush the quarterback off the edge and drop into coverage as an off-ball linebacker.
“He's a guy who can affect the quarterback and the passing game. This was not a need pick,” Roseman said. “This was a player we had tremendous passion about.”
Head coach Nick Sirianni echoed the excitement, praising Campbell’s relentless energy and speed. “He fits our defense with the way he plays,” Sirianni said. “He’s versatile, and we can use him in a lot of different ways.”
Roseman addressed concerns about Campbell’s health and rehab, saying the team is confident in his long-term durability and doesn’t view any medical issues as a barrier to his success. “We have no long-term concerns with his health,” Roseman stated. “Our doctors cleared him, and we’re excited for what he’s going to bring to this team.”
Campbell, who turns 21 this year, will bring not just his talent to Philly — but also his roots. The moment he saw a 215 area code pop up on his phone during draft night, the emotions hit.
“I’m really excited to be an Eagle!” Campbell said after the pick from Green Bay. The linebacker shared that he had only spoken to the Eagles once prior to the draft, making the call from GM Howie Roseman even more surprising and special.
Campbell and his family grew up big Eagles fans just a few miles over the bridge in South Jersey and went to Timber Creek Regional High School in Sicklerville. He recalled some of his favorite players from LeSean McCoy to DeSean Jackson to Darren Sproles and even mentioned his grandfather's favorite, Randall Cunningham.
Roseman also noted Campbell’s high character, work ethic, and Philly roots as part of the appeal. “We didn’t want to lose him. This guy can grow into anything you want,” he said. “And he’s only 21 — the sky’s the limit.”
The Eagles continue their trend of targeting SEC talent, especially from Alabama and Georgia. Just look at the distribution of the Eagles' last six first-round picks:
- 2025 – Jihaad Campbell (Alabama)
- 2024 – Quinyon Mitchell (Toledo)
- 2023 – Jalen Carter (Georgia)
- 2023 – Nolan Smith (Georgia)
- 2022 – Jordan Davis (Georgia)
- 2021 – DeVonta Smith (Alabama)
Campbell is the latest in a long line of picks from those powerhouse programs, joining recent first-rounders like DeVonta Smith, Jalen Carter, and Jordan Davis.
As Roseman put it: “We feel fortunate that we got him.”