Why did Eagles trade up 1 spot? Philly spends extra 5th-round pick to land star LB Jihaad Campbell

Philadelphia Eagles GM Howie Roseman stockpiled four fifth-round selections for the 2025 NFL Draft. 

Why? For moments like Thursday night — as one of those fifth-rounders allowed the Eagles to climb one spot, from No. 32 to 31, via trade with the Kansas City Chiefs to land their top target at the end of Day  1.

The Eagles moved up to select Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell, sending pick No. 164 to Kansas City to ensure his new home in Philly.

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Campbell, coming off shoulder surgery, was projected by many as a potential first-round steal for the reigning Super Bowl champs. NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. nailed this pick in his final mock draft for ESPN:

“Combining Campbell with Zack Baun and Nakobe Dean at the second level would make defensive coordinator Vic Fangio smile,” Kiper wrote then. “Campbell does it all. He finished last season with 112 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, five sacks and an interception. This Super Bowl-winning defense saw a lot of turnover earlier in the offseason, but Campbell has the toolbox to contribute in multiple ways.”

So why burn a fifth-round pick to climb just 1 spot?

That’s a valid question, especially when you consider the Chiefs were targeting Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons all along at No. 31 overall. The answer is as simple as this: Roseman and the Eagles were never going to draft four players in the middle of the fifth round. Those picks were always going to be used as ammo to help enhance Philly’s poor draft capital inside the top 100.

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NFL insider Adam Schefter reported that Philly tried to trade up for Campbell earlier in the first round, but no deal materialized. With Kansas City on the clock, the Eagles made the move, largely to block another team from swooping in and stealing their guy. A fifth-round pick is small price to pay for that peace of mind — especially when you still have three picks remaining in Round 5.

Campbell is an elite tackler who can do it all. He should fit in nicely alongside Zack Baun in the middle of Philly’s defense, and will give the team some insurance for Nakobe Dean, who’s coming off a season-ending knee injury suffered during the 2024 playoffs. Dean’s contract is also up after this season, so Campbell can also be viewed as his successor.

The pick continues Philly’s recent history of going defense early in the draft. With the majority of his starters on offense locked up through the 2028 season, Roseman has been collecting impact defenders on rookie-scale contrasts. The Eagles went defense with their first three picks in 2024 in Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean and Jalyx Hunt.

MORE: Philadelphia Eagles draft picks tracker: Updated list of 2025 selections, next pick predictions