Coming into this year’s NFL draft, the Atlanta Falcons’ need for a pass-rusher was more than obvious. They haven’t had a player with double-digit sacks since 2017—the last time they had a winning record and a postseason ticket. So, given their urgency, they drafted Georgia’s Jalon Walker with the 15th overall pick. Make no mistake, Walker is an exceptional talent worth a first-round pick. He holds the ability to rush the passer from the defensive line and also from a linebacker position. However, what they did next was a bit too much considering Alabama’s Jihaad Campbell was still waiting for his phone call. The Falcons going overboard was an Eagles W, as Campbell prepares to make his NFC rivals regret it.
Once the Rams were on the clock at the 26th overall pick, the Falcons made an astonishing trade back into the first round. They traded their 46th pick in the second round, 242nd pick in the seventh round, and their first-round pick in 2026 to select Tennessee pass-rusher James Pearce Jr. Taking nothing away from Pearce Jr, his numbers do make him a first-rounder. 23 sacks and 113 total pressures in 3 seasons with the Volunteers. However, compared to Jihaad, Pearce Jr. doesn’t have that wow factor.
Campbell was 5th in the SEC for total tackles last year and also a semifinalist for the Butkus Award given to the nation’s best linebacker. He was named a first-team SEC after leading his team in tackles (117), tackles for loss (11.5) and sacks (5). The 6-foot-5, 235-pound defender also became the first off-ball linebacker to be selected by the Eagles in the first round since College Football Hall of Famer Jerry Robinson in 1979. So, the Eagles must have seen something special that the Falcons didn’t see in Campbell.
Considering Howie Roseman chose to trade up just one spot shows how desperate they were to get him. Roseman even expressed his astonishment later when teams like the Falcons didn’t pick Campbell, giving them an opportunity. “Wasn’t really something we anticipated. Understand some of the other teams may have reasons for taking other players, but for us, this was a really easy pick.” As for Campbell, he ain’t forgetting those who didn’t value him.
On SiriusXM NFL Radio, Campbell gave a warning to those who kept him waiting, especially the Falcons, without naming them, obviously. “I feel bad for all the teams that ain’t pick me,” Campbell said in a villainous voice. He went on to add, “Especially in this conference, I feel bad.” And it’s already common knowledge that the Eagles and the Falcons share the same conference.
“I feel bad for all the teams that ain’t pick me.” @Eagles LB Jihaad Campbell told us how fired up and motivated he is to be drafted in Philadelphia.
https://t.co/CwqVkrEksT#NFLDraft | #FlyEaglesFly | @RealJihaadC | @KirkMorrison pic.twitter.com/WJ8toN7GST
— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) April 28, 2025
So, the next time the Falcons and the Eagles face off, Campbell would be driven by vengeance. Already an explosive, Campbell is surely going to be a monster once he sees the Falcons lining up before him. While Campbell waits for the Falcons, his long wait to return to his home town finally happened.
Jihaad Campbell returns to the city where he grew up to be an Eagle
Campbell was born in Erial, New Jersey, just 20 minutes away from Lincoln Field. He used to attend Timber Creek, where he played both wide receiver and defensive end before transferring to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. His senior year in the IMG Academy saw him recruited as a 5-star prospect ranked 15th overall nationally. Campbell later especially thanked his time in Florida for playing a significant role in his growth as a football player. Coming out of his comfort zone in Philadelphia, Campbell said, “It is a big sequence of my life. And I think that was the best thing that happened to me. Just preserving and overcoming every adversity that came my way.”
Throughout his time at Bama, Campbell has earned praise for his incredible character, explosiveness, hard-hitting capabilities, and versatility. Known for seamlessly switching between pass coverage and edge rusher, Campbell basically dominates in his secondary. So, once the draft came around, Campbell couldn’t believe that his dream of returning home would come true so soon. “When I was on the place. I was looking like, Dang, I’m really back home. That’s when it hit me. I was like, Okay. All right,” Campbell said after getting picked by the Eagles.
He took some time to soak in the moment and process what really happened. But whatever happened in those 24 hours from being in the green room of Green Bay to landing at Philadelphia International Airport was no less than a childhood dream coming true.
The post Eagles Rookie Jihaad Campbell’s Strong Message to Atlanta Falcons Over Big Decision appeared first on EssentiallySports.