Jihaad Campbell plays with an edge that could take the Eagles defense to another level

USA Today

3 days ago

The rookie has brought elite athleticism and pure aggression to a Philadelphia defense that saw several big-name and high-profile free agents depart.
Jihaad Campbell missed the bulk of the off-season workouts and OTAs while recovering from a shoulder injury. Still, the former Alabama linebacker and first-round pick has hit the ground running through Week 1 of Eagles training camp.
The rookie has brought elite athleticism and pure aggression to a Philadelphia defense that saw several big-name and high-profile free agents depart.
That aggression has been felt by his new NFL teammates, who've taken notice of Campbell bringing the heat regardless of whether it's fully padded practices or shell and shorts.
Campbell has had violent and questionable collisions with Ben VanSumeren (injury) and Dallas Goedert (respect earned) that have left some wondering if the linebacker needs a timeout.
"He's got everything you want from a linebacker," Goedert said. "He's big, he's tall, he's strong, he's fast, he flies around and likes to hit.
Campbell's learning curve could provide Philadelphia with a scenario where Nakobe Dean or Jeremiah Trotter Jr. plays the other linebacker spot alongside Campbell, allowing Baun to rush the passer more in 2025.
The Erial, New Jersey native was named to the first-team All-SEC in 2024 after leading the team with 117 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, and five sacks.
Through six practices, Campbell is ahead of schedule and, at times, the best linebacker on the field. That added aggression, energy, and athleticism shouldn't be harnessed, but rather sculpted and bottled up in such a way that it helps catapult an Eagles team that'll get every opponent's best shot while working to return to the Super Bowl.