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Jihaad Campbell

Draft Trade Notes: Chargers, Campbell, Loveland, Cowboys, Ravens, Conerly

April 25th, 2025 at 6:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Eagles wound up moving one spot up the first-round order last night. The move ensured the Super Bowl champions were able to select Jihaad Campbell, but that was not the only effort made to trade up the board.

Philadelphia negotiated with the Chargers about acquiring the No. 22 pick, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reports. He adds Los Angeles was in conversation with multiple teams while on the clock, but the proposed deal with the Eagles may very well have fallen through due to an “issue” communicating it to the league.

By rule, both teams must contact the NFL separately to report the terms of a trade agreement. Since that did not take place in time, the Bolts retained their pick and drafted North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton. The Eagles still wound up acquiring Campbell – the target of the attempted Chargers trade, per Florio – at No. 31. The Alabama product will look to make an immediate impact at the second level and/or on the edge during his rookie season.

Here are some other draft-related notes from last night’s opening round:

  • Colston Loveland was the first tight end to hear his name called on Thursday night. The Michigan alum went 10th overall to the Bears, a team which received interest for their top selection. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports Loveland was the subject of trade calls leading up to Chicago’s pick. Movement on the trade front only took place much later in the round after the Bears committed to staying put. When speaking to the media on Friday, Loveland revealed (via Scott Bair of Marquee Sports) he is halfway through his shoulder rehab; with progress continuing to be made, he will aim to return to full health in time for the start of his rookie campaign.
  • For the third time in the past four years, the Cowboys looked to the offensive line during the first round of the draft. Alabama Guard Tyler Booker went 12th overall, a move which came as no surprise considering where the team’s board stood at the time. David Moore of the Dallas Morning News reports Booker was the highest-rated player available at that point out of the remaining prospects. Moore adds the Cowboys had 12 prospects with a first-round grade, which helps explain the decision to remain in place instead of trading down.
  • When speaking to the media, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said (via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley) opportunities were presented to move down the order. Instead, Baltimore stayed put at No. 27 and took Georgia safety Malaki Starks. DeCosta said the team’s strong Starks evaluation allowed for the potential of a trade-down move to be outweighed by the upside of selecting him.
  •  The Browns and Texans own the top two selections in the second round, and to no surprise both teams are receiving calls. Last night, though, Cleveland and Houston showed interest in acquiring a late Day 1 selection; Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports the target in both cases was Josh Conerly Jr. The Oregon tackle came off the board at No. 29 (Commanders), which put an end to those efforts. Of course, that suggests help along the O-line will be a priority tonight for those teams.

Eagles Acquire No. 31, Draft Jihaad Campbell

April 24th, 2025 at 10:38pm CST by Ben Levine

The Eagles have pulled off a one-pick swap at the back of the first round. Philadelphia has acquired No. 31 from the Chiefs, sending Kansas City Nos. 32 and 164 (h/t ESPN’s Adam Schefter).

With the pick, the Eagles have selected Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell. Lingering as one of the best available prospects for an extended stretch tonight, Campbell will join the defending Super Bowl champions — after their trade with the team they walloped in February. As the Chiefs moved to draft tackle Josh Simmons at No. 32, the Eagles bolstered their linebacking corps with a rookie-scale asset.

Campbell established himself as a late-Day 1 or early-Day 2 pick following a strong showing in 2024. The Alabama linebacker finished the season with 117 tackles, five sacks, and 12 tackles for loss, a performance that earned him All-SEC honors.

Campbell drew praise for his coverage ability thanks to his athleticism and acceleration. Scouts weren’t as high on his run-stopping ability, although he lands in a good spot for his development in Philly. The prospect ultimately profiles as more of a middle linebacker, although he possesses the versatility and pass-rush prowess to also play on the edge.

The Eagles are apparently enamored with Campbell’s ability, as the team reportedly tried to trade up earlier in the first round to select the Alabama product. The player’s recovery from a shoulder injury may have slightly hurt his draft stock, a development that ended up working in Philly’s favor.

As Nakobe Dean recovers from a torn patellar tendon, Campbell could be called on to start at middle linebacker to begin the 2025 campaign. When the whole grouping is entirely healthy, Campbell may find himself in a rotational role playing behind Dean and Zack Baun. Campbell’s contract becomes critical now that the Eagles have paid Baun, who has gone from a one-year, $3.5MM deal to a three-year, $51MM pact after his first-team All-Pro season. With injuries marring Dean’s rookie contract, the Eagles paid up to make a more significant investment in a position they had recently devoted minimal resources to stocking.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

NFL Announces 17 Prospects Attending NFL Draft

April 14th, 2025 at 6:30pm CST by Ben Levine

There will be 17 draft prospects waiting in the green room to hear their name announced next week. The NFL announced the players who will attend the first round next Thursday night in Green Bay:

When players commit to attending the first round of the draft, their respective camps have often been given some kind of assurance that they’ll be selected within the top-32 picks. Of course, that’s not a prerequisite, and as we’ve seen many times, there are some overly-confident prospects who subsequently endure the very-public waiting game.

Per usual, the most notable inclusions surround the QB position. Cam Ward is the favorite to go first-overall, and Shedeur Sanders (who is absent from this list) is also expected to be selected at some point in the first round. After that, the position is pretty uncertain, and that could lead to some awkward moments for the other QBs who decided to attend.

Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart and Alabama’s Jalen Milroe have firmly established themselves in that next tier of QB prospects, and recent reports have indicated that they should be at least Day 2 picks. There haven’t been any definitive reports about their Day 1 candidacy, and while we shouldn’t read too much into the list of attendees, it is notable that both prospects believe they have a shot of going in the top-32 selections.

Draft Notes: Carter, Colts, Cowboys, Bengals, Falcons, Vikings, Bills, Burden, Broncos, Bears, Campbell

April 12th, 2025 at 12:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although Abdul Carter‘s foot injury created some early-offseason concern, the Penn State prospect has not run into any real hurdles toward becoming a surefire top-four pick. The edge defender did not see any emerge during a Combine medical recheck, either, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes Carter’s foot is improving and no surgery will be needed. The stress reaction Carter suffered kept him out of drills at the Nittany Lions’ pro day, but the potential Browns target has still built up enough capital pre-draft to turn down visit requests for teams holding picks outside the top four. He has met with the Browns and Titans and will stop his visits after the Giants (No. 3) and Patriots (No. 4).

Here is the latest from the draft:

  • One of the top non-Carter edge players in this prospect crop, James Pearce Jr. is continuing his visit schedule. The Tennessee product conducted recent visits with the Bengals, Colts, Cowboys and Falcons, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. Pearce has already met with the Cardinals, and a report of Saints interest emerged. The Colts came up as a team interested in D-line augmentation, while the Falcons are prioritizing defense in this draft after their Michael Penix Jr. pick last year. The Bengals are still in an uncertain place with Trey Hendrickson, and Sam Hubbard retired.
  • Skill players have come up regarding the Broncos‘ first-round draft slot (No. 20), as the team added Talanoa Hufanga and Dre Greenlaw on defense — after re-signing D.J. Jones. But strengthening a strength should not be ruled out here, per ESPN.com’s Jordan Reid. Viewing this running back class as deep enough the RB-seeking team can wait until after Round 1 to make that play, Reid mentions safety Nick Emmanwori as a wild-card option to watch. The No. 15 prospect on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board, Emmanwori is a South Carolina product who could shift into the box in sub packages. The Broncos have Hufanga, Brandon Jones and P.J. Locke at safety; they are thinner at linebacker, with both Greenlaw and 31-year-old Alex Singleton coming off injuries.
  • Denver hosted Mizzou receiver Luther Burden, and it is possible the SEC pass catcher will be available on Day 2. Burden is likely to fall out of the first round, per ESPN.com’s Matt Miller, but the longtime draft expert views him as a first-round talent. A former top recruit, Burden fared much better as a sophomore in 2023 (1,212 yards, nine touchdown receptions) than 2024 (676/6), contributing to his potential second-round status. While Jeremiah labels Burden a slot player, Miller classifies the 5-foot-11 talent as someone who could make an impact outside.
  • Another player who may end up sliding a bit, Jihaad Campbell has seen a post-Combine shoulder surgery change his draft trajectory. Teams are gathering intel on the Alabama linebacker, per ESPN.com’s Field Yates, who indicates it would not surprise to see a top-20 talent in this draft fall toward the end of Round 1 or into the second round.
  • Mentioned as a team high on Ashton Jeanty, the Bears have more pressing needs than running back. Specifically, the team views defensive tackle as a bigger need than defensive end, Miller adds. This does not surprise, considering the team’s Dayo Odeyingbo deal. Despite the ex-Colt’s ability to rush from inside and the ensuing Grady Jarrett pickup, the Bears appear to have a clear interest in upgrading here. Miller ESPN colleague Courtney Cronin ponders a potential long-term play at left tackle, as Braxton Jones is in a contract year, in the first round as well.
  • Still in place as a top cornerback prospect despite missing last season with an ACL tear, Shavon Revel continues to meet with teams interested in his rebound effort. The Bills, Colts and Vikings met with the East Carolina CB this week, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. Buffalo is in need of a corner to replace Rasul Douglas, who remains in free agency, while Indianapolis may still be interested in adding despite giving Charvarius Ward $18MM per year. Minnesota added Isaiah Rodgers to go with Byron Murphy but could certainly benefit from a higher-level investment.

2025 NFL Draft Rumors: Saints, Packers, Falcons, Revel

March 27th, 2025 at 10:13pm CST by Ely Allen

The Saints continue to stay busy having visits with 2025 NFL Draft prospects, according to multiple reports from Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football.

Last night, the team hosted several Georgia players for dinner, including a top defensive end prospect in Mykel Williams as well as wide receiver Arian Smith. They also reportedly had dinner this week with Pittsburgh tight end Gavin Bartholomew, a likely Day 3 prospect whose name has not been making the rounds this early in the process. Lastly, the team was in Knoxville today reportedly meeting with some Tennessee players, including running back Dylan Sampson and defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott.

Underhill adds that the team has been doing a ton of work during the pre-draft process on running backs. Even though lead back Alvin Kamara had a career-high 950 rushing yards in 2024, combined with 543 receiving yards, the sheer depth of this year’s class of running back prospects nearly ensures that quality backs will be available into the fourth or fifth round. Dane Brugler of The Athletic has eight running backs listed in his top 100 prospects list, so it makes sense that New Orleans is doing its homework on the position.

Here are a few other rumors concerning possibilities in the 2025 NFL Draft:

  • The Packers currently have eight picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, but if general manager Brian Gutekunst has anything to say about it, they could be angling for more. According to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, when asked about not having many picks this year, Gutekunst added the addendum “yet” to the end of the statement, indicating that he would have some interest in acquiring more picks via trade. Green Bay currently sits at No. 23 overall in the first round. It’s been posited that many teams from pick No. 20 on are looking to trade back out of the first round due to a lack of elite, top-end talent in this year’s class, as opposed to the tremendous depth the class seems to provide. Unfortunately, due to that same issue, there are going to be few, if any, takers willing to give up precious draft capital to move up into the first round.
  • One trend we seem to be seeing shows the Falcons as likely candidates to go defense in the first round of the draft. Josh Kendall of The Athletic selected safety Nick Emmanwori in the site’s beat writer mock draft, and the other players he says he considered with the pick, safety Malaki Starks, linebackers Jalon Walker and Jihaad Campbell, cornerback Will Johnson, and edges Mike Green and Shemar Stewart, all reside on the defensive side of the ball. Kendall bases this belief that the team will go defense off of new defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich wanting to build a new, uniquely hybrid defense.
  • Lastly, Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network reported today that the Cowboys will be hosting East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel for a top-30 visit next week. We know that Revel is attempting to make a comeback from a torn ACL that ended his final collegiate season after only three games and that he is projected to be back in time for training camp. What makes this an interesting visit is that, according to Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS, Revel’s ACL repair surgery was performed by Cowboys team doctor Dan Cooper, likely giving the franchise a uniquely exclusive insight on his prognosis and recovery.

Jihaad Campbell Underwent Shoulder Surgery After Combine

March 23rd, 2025 at 6:23pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Projected first-rounder Jihaad Campbell underwent surgery after the NFL Combine to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder, per ESPN’s Jordan Reid. Campbell could be seen wearing a shoulder spring during Alabama’s pro day on March 19.

It is unknown when Campbell suffered the injury. The 21-year-old linebacker played in all 13 of Alabama’s games last season, racking up 117 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, and 5.0 sacks. He also impressed at the Combine with a 4.52-second 40-yard dash and a 10’7″ broad jump.

Campbell’s surgery should not dramatically affect his draft stock, though teams may want to get a better look at his medicals before investing a first round pick. The recovery period for a torn labrum can vary, but it is unlikely that Campbell will heal up in time to participate in rookie minicamp or OTAs this summer.

His status for training camp may even be in doubt, and though he may be close to full health by the start of the regular season, his new team may take a cautious approach to his initial playing time. Not only would they want to avoid a setback, but it is also notoriously difficult for college linebackers to mentally acclimate to the NFL. Missing some or all of training camp could make that transition even harder.

Even after the surgery, Campbell is widely expected to be selected in the first round of April’s draft given his upside as an uber-athletic three-down linebacker. According to ESPN’s Field Yates, the Buccaneers could be a potential landing spot at the 19th overall pick. The team needs to find a successor to 35-year-old Lavonte David, and doing so this year with Campbell has multiple benefits.

First, David could mentor Campbell during his rookie year, helping him learn the defense and adjust to the NFL’s level of play. David would serve as the MIKE linebacker and defensive play-caller, allowing Campbell to focus on his assignment while developing as a leader.

Campbell would also be an excellent fit under Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles. His defense blitzes at one of the highest rates in the league, and Campbell’s ability to rush the passer off the edge or as an off-ball linebacker would give Bowles a versatile chess piece to scheme up pressure.