Eagles drafted a next-generation linebacker in Jihaad Campbell: Mike Mayock Q&A
The Eagles and Vic Fangio can get creative in using the versatile and athletic Campbell if he develops and stays healthy.
Mike Mayock, the NFL draft analyst, former Raiders general manager, and Philadelphia native, tells unCovering the Birds why the Eagles picked Jihaad Campbell, the linebacker out of Alabama who was selected 31st overall.
What did you think of the move?
A: I had him going No. 9 overall to New Orleans, so by definition from a talent perspective, that’s what I think of the move. I think he is the future of what we’re going to see of off-the-ball linebackers in the NFL. And by that I mean his athletic ability, speed, twitch. This is a guy that is so versatile that he can play off-the-ball linebacker, he can drop in coverage, he can play tight ends man-to-man, but he was also a defensive end in high school. And when they rushed the passer with this kid — and it didn‘t matter whether it was “A” gap in the middle between the center and the guard all the way out to what they call the 9-technique coming off wide off the edge, he’s got the physical traits to be a high-level pass rusher.
Even though he hasn‘t developed all that yet, when Alabama asked him to do that, he was effective just because of the physical traits. The plus side of this whole thing is I think they got one of the best talents in the entire draft on the defensive side of the ball at No. 31.
The concern obviously is just the history of injuries. And it’s specifically the shoulder and then the leg-knee concerns. It’s really amazing as a former GM and being in the media for so long, every team in the league gets the same MRIs, X-rays, etc. But different teams interpret them different ways with their doctors. So you can have your team doctor telling you, “You can‘t touch this guy.” Another team might say, “Hey, you get at least one contract out of those knees. You’ll be fine.”
So when you look at, say, a pair of knees, one doctor might say, “it’s chronic” and “stay away.” Another doctor might say, “Hey, he’s probably going to be fine.” And I‘ve seen the range of the players that were out of the league in one year to players that have played 10 years with the exact same condition. So really, Howie [Roseman] obviously felt very comfortable with the medical report and for me, [Campbell‘s] such a valuable and versatile piece for Vic Fangio between him and Zack Baun, I can‘t wait to see those guys together.
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Do you think he’ll start in the off-ball linebacker room, or do you think they’ll cross-train him also with the edge guys with assistant Jeremiah Washburn?
A: I think he starts as an off-the-ball linebacker, but I think when they’re doing individual pass-rush drills and things like that, he’s going to get some reps because he’s raw and he needs reps. When he stands up in the “A” gap, he’s too quick and athletic for the centers and guards, and they’ll run a lot of twists and stunts with him coming around Jalen Carter or vice versa to free him inside or to free Jalen Carter. But they can line him up outside. I expect him to come along quickly.
I‘ve heard that he needs more work as an off-ball guy because that’s not what he was originally recruited to play. He had to kind of learn that position. I‘ve also heard that he probably needs more work as an edge because he’s not a big guy and he didn‘t really do it at the highest level consistently. Which area does he need a little more work at?
A: I just think he needs a lot of reps as an edge rusher because he has the traits but not the repetitions to be a consistent edge rusher. As far as off-the-ball linebacker, do I think he could come downhill a little more physically or where are his instincts? I think they’re pretty good, not elite. Again, I‘m betting on the traits, I‘m betting on the toughness, and I‘m betting on the intelligence. I think it’ll be fun. Because early on, it might be a little bit slow just as he develops to and what the Eagles are trying, but I think by the time we get to the middle towards the end of the year and he’s fully integrated into what Vic wants to get out of him, I think it’s going to be really exciting.
The two off-the-ball linebackers I love in this draft — the other one is the kid Atlanta took No. 15 from Georgia, Jalon Walker — those are the two guys for me that are next-generation off-the-ball linebackers. I even have Jalon Walker as a pure edge rusher. But you can stand these guys up. They can spy quarterbacks. They can cover running backs. They can cover tight ends. In today’s NFL world where it’s a pass-first league except for the Philadelphia Eagles, that kind of piece to have is so valuable.
» READ MORE: An absolute baller, Swiss Army knife, hybrid: Eagles top pick Jihaad Campbell has a knack for fitting in
You mentioned Vic Fangio with Zack Baun. They were able to kind of stay in their nickel a lot because Zack would go and be the fifth guy on the line to help set that edge. I‘d imagine this is what they’d envision they could possibly use Campbell at. Do you think that’s part of the process there?
A: I think the cool thing again is with the versatility of both those guys. You can put your four best rushers on the field in your sub package and keep both your linebackers on the field as opposed to having one of them. So now you’ve got four down guys, two linebackers, and your nickel package behind. And because Cooper DeJean is such a good football player, so now you’ve probably got your 11 best players on the team in critical sub situations because you’re not subbing out a linebacker.
It’s just for me, I think we’ll get really creative. There’ll be situations I think where Jihaad Campbell on third-and-6 can be rushing off the edge and Zack Baun might be the only linebacker in that situation and they’ve got six defensive backs. It’s going to give them ultimate flexibility in my head.