Howie Roseman couldn’t hide his excitement. Jihaad Campbell was a Top-10 guy on their board, and somehow, he kept slipping. Ten passed. Then fifteen. Then twenty. Roseman tried to trade up from 32 but struck out. When the Kansas City Chiefs hit the clock at 31, he didn’t wait. The Philadelphia Eagles sent their pick and a fifth-rounder, pulled the trigger, and got their guy.

Jihaad Campbell, a South Jersey native and Alabama standout, is now a Philly. Howie Roseman and Nick Sirianni lit up talking about him in the press conference post-NFL Draft. However, during this, the head coach saved himself from the “bad spot,” as the GM came in to answer one important question – who do they think Campbell is best compared to?

Eagles’ reporter Zach Berman on X wrote: “When Nick Sirianni was asked about the player comps discussed internally, Howie Roseman suggested it would put the coach in a bad spot to answer it.” But even in dodging the question, Roseman dropped some heavy names – Micah Parsons and Abdul Carter.

Now, Roseman wasn’t saying Campbell is on their level, but the way he framed it said a lot. As per Berman, “Roseman referenced Micah Parsons and Abdul Carter in this answer below.” But before going into that answer, the reporter added, “This is not to suggest Campbell is comparable to Parsons/Carter, but it’s an interesting framing when you consider how he would be viewed if he were used as an edge rusher instead of off-ball linebacker.” Parsons did this before the 2020 season, while Carter made a switch in 2024.

So, it’s pretty clear that Campbell would be under scrutiny, and a lot of responsibilities will be on his shoulders. But Roseman and team are elated to have him, as the executive said: “This is a guy who was recruited from IMG at Alabama as an edge rusher — Hand-in-the-dirt edge rusher. They had some injuries at Alabama. They played him off the ball. You see his explosiveness and his speed, and really, it’s kind of interesting, and we talked about this a lot. You see Penn State give them a lot of credit for what they’ve done. They’ve had guys off the ball move to edge rushers. Obviously, their last two guys who’ve been drafted really high, they started off the ball, and they moved to edge rushers.”

No doubt, Campbell is a complete package for the Eagles, but to be at Carter and Parson’s level, he still needs time. However, there is still one difference among them that makes Campbell special.

Is rookie Jihaad Campbell indeed like Micah Parsons?

Jihaad Campbell isn’t just your average linebacker pick. In fact, the Eagles haven’t drafted one like him in the first round since 1979. But even that’s a stretch – because Campbell isn’t just an off-ball guy. He’s also got edge-rushing fire in him. That’s the wild card here. Philly isn’t locking him into one job. They’re planning to move him all over. One snap, he’s in the middle with Nakobe Dean or Zack Baun. Next, he’s coming off the edge with Nolan Smith or Bryce Huff.

That’s why Howie Roseman made it clear – this guy’s got the speed, the explosiveness, and the versatility they’ve been craving. It’s like what Penn State did with Micah Parsons and Abdul Carter. Those guys started inside, then exploded as edge threats. The difference is just – Campbell could do both. And with teams like the Lions, Packers, and Chiefs throwing every weapon at them, the Eagles know they need defenders who can adjust in real time. Campbell gives them that. He can rush, cover, chase, whatever the moment calls for.

Hence, Roseman said it best – they’re not putting him in a box. This kid can become whatever they need.