Insider ‘Hurts’ as Philly Steals Alabama’s LB Star at No. 32

The Philadelphia Eagles are fresh off winning Super Bowl 59, but you wouldn’t be able to tell based on their offseason work so far. General manager Howie Roseman and the Eagles front office have already made a handful of big deals, and with the 2025 NFL draft approaching, they may not be done yet. In fact, one recent mock draft believes they will land a steal at the No. 32 overall pick by selecting Alabama football linebacker Jihaad Campbell.

A big reason for Philadelphia’s success in recent seasons has been because of their ability to draft studs, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Some medical concerns could see Campbell fall down the board, and even though the Eagles have a pair of star linebackers at their disposal with Zack Baun and Nakobe Dean, they could solidify the middle of their defense by adding Campbell.
“It hurts me to see Campbell have to wait this long; he’s the final prospect on the board who ranks in my top 25. But after recent left shoulder surgery, his health outlook for the start of his career is less clear. But this would be a classic example of the Eagles pouncing on a talented player who fell due to circumstance. Philly struck gold with a no-risk signing of Zack Baun last offseason, and the idea of a linebacker trio eventually composed of Baun, Nakobe Dean (knee) and Campbell is exciting. Campbell had 112 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 5 sacks and an interception last season,” Field Yates wrote in his latest mock draft for ESPN.

Eagles could further reinforce their linebacker corps with Jihaad Campbell

Campbell starred for the Crimson Tide in 2024, and he has turned himself into a prospect who could get selected in the first round. If the board falls this way for the Eagles, they’d surely be thrilled to scoop up Campbell, who many folks believe will get selected in the 20-30 pick range. Grabbing him with the final pick of the first round would certainly be good value for the team, especially considering they can take things slow with Campbell as he returns from left shoulder surgery.

Of course, all options are going to be on the table for Roseman and the front office, as they could ultimately trade this pick, or target a more pressing area of need on their roster with this pick. Campbell may be too good to pass up if he falls to the No. 32 overall pick, though, and while they may be armed with the final pick of the first round, Philadelphia could still find a way to extract some serious value with this selection.