Jihaad Campbell, Eagles Reportedly Agree to Fully Guaranteed $14.9M Rookie Contract

The Philadelphia Eagles have officially signed their first-round draft pick.

Per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, linebacker Jihadd Campbell, the 31st overall pick, signed a four-year, $14.903 million fully guaranteed deal with the Eagles. The contract includes a fifth-year option.

Campbell, who spent three years at Alabama, had an outstanding final season with the Crimson Tide, leading the team in tackles (119), sacks (5) and forced fumbles (2). He also pulled in an interception.

Campbell was the No. 19 overall player and the second-best linebacker on the final big board from Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department.

Philadelphia traded a fifth-round pick to the Kansas City Chiefs to take Campbell at No. 31, a move general manager Howie Roseman said was easy to make for a player like Campbell.

“We picked Jihaad Campbell, we made a small trade up just to ensure we could get him. There were a lot of trades in the 20s and we wanted to make sure someone didn’t jump ahead of us. Excited to have him, really excited to have him. Wasn’t really something we anticipated,” Roseman told reporters. “This was a really easy pick. Really explosive player, he can play inside, he can be an edge rusher, just really feel fortunate to bring him home back to Philly.”

The Eagles had the best defense in the NFL a year ago but lost key players like edge rusher Josh Sweat, defensive tackle Milton Williams and more this offseason. Adding a player like Campbell should help Philadelphia maintain its elite defense.

One NFL executive said Campbell will pair perfectly alongside linebacker Zach Baun and compared the duo to San Francisco 49ers greats Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman.

"Campbell was one of the higher grades I've given for a linebacker," an executive told The Athletic's Mike Sando. "[Defensive coordinator] Vic Fangio will use Baun off the ball and Campbell on the ball, and that is huge. They will be the blitzers in the simulated four-man pressures that Vic runs. It can be like Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman in San Francisco."

Expectations are clearly high for Campbell, and he'll look to exceed them as he helps the Eagles defend their championship.