The Philadelphia Eagles were well aware of linebacker Jihaad Campbell’s injury history when they selected him at No. 31 overall in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft.
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Whatever the public may have heard about those concerns — or the extent to which they thought they were actually true — came into sharp focus on June 3 when the Eagles announced Campbell won’t take the field until August, at the earliest, as he recovers from offseason shoulder surgery.
It’s the first of 2 shoulder surgeries the Eagles knew Campbell would need, although it’s not clear if he can wait until after his rookie season to have the other shoulder repaired.
“He won’t hit the practice field until sometime in August,” Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said on August 3. “We’re doing all we can, he’s doing all he can in meetings. We’re doing all we can with him on the field. I take him to the side and do an individual drill with him that’s suited to what he can do right now. He’s working good and trying to pick it up.”
Eagles Traded Up to Select Campbell in First Round
The Eagles were projected to be an active trade partner ahead of the draft and delivered on that in the first round when they traded up one spot from No. 32 to No. 31, swapping first round picks with the Kansas City Chiefs to take Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell. Philadelphia also sent a 2025 fifth round pick (No. 164 overall) to Kansas City just a few months after beating the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX.
“The Eagles tried to trade up earlier in the draft to get Campbell but it didn’t take,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter said during the draft broadcast. ” … He did have surgery on one shoulder and will need surgery on the other shoulder and there’s an issue with a knee as well.”
Campbell, 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds, was an All-SEC pick for the Crimson Tide in 2024 after he led the team with 117 tackles to go with 11.5 TFL, 5.0 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 1 interception.
“Howie Roseman and the #Eagles continue to stockpile elite defensive talent from the SEC — Jihaad Campbell was a heat-seeking missile for the Tide,” FOX Sports NFL Insider Jordan Schultz wrote on his official X account.
High Upside for Campbell’s Rookie Season
Campbell could be the opening game starter next to Baun if he can recover from his shoulder surgery in time. That’s because last year’s starter, Nakobe Dean, suffered a torn patellar tendon in an NFC Wild Card Round win over the Green Bay Packers.
There’s also the thought Campbell’s upside is so high it could make him one of the NFL’s elite inside linebackers from the jump.
One of my strongest beliefs about this draft: If Alabama LB Jihaad Campbell falls, some team is going to get an absolute steal. Extremely high upside prospect.
Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport thinks Campbell could be a Pro Bowler or an NFL All-Pro in his first season.
“From the sound of things, the Eagles envision Campbell as something of a ‘hybrid,’ Micah Parsons-esque chess piece on the defense,” Davenport wrote on May 1. “Vic Fangio is rightly one of the most well-respected defensive coordinators in the game. If he can fully unlock Campbell’s explosiveness and athleticism, the former Crimson Tide star could be more than just a Pro Bowler. He could be Defensive Rookie of the Year.”
