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Eagles Rookie Is Dominating Camp — Coaches Say He Can Line Up Anywhere

 

Philadelphia, PA – July 30, 2025

At most NFL training camps, rookies show up hoping to keep up. Maybe earn a few reps. Prove they belong. But every so often, a rookie shows up and flips the script entirely.

That’s exactly what Jihaad Campbell is doing in Philadelphia.

By just the fifth day of Eagles camp, position meetings started sounding different. Instead of talking about how to bring him along slowly, coaches were trying to figure out where to put him — because wherever the offense lined up, No. 32 was already one step ahead.

Slot? WILL? Dime linebacker? He was doing it all. And doing it fast.

Campbell isn’t the loudest guy on the field — but he doesn’t need to be. His play speaks volumes. He’s jamming tight ends, flying into the backfield, and blanketing flats like a seasoned vet. One coach put it bluntly:

“Where can’t he play?”

Drafted in the third round out of Alabama, Campbell arrived with all the athletic upside you could hope for. But what’s blowing the staff away isn’t just his speed — it’s his range, awareness, and versatility.

Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio didn’t mince words:

“You don’t often get a rookie who can line up at WILL, MIKE, and STAR — but he can.”


Now he’s getting snaps in sub-packages, taking special teams seriously, and mastering calls from three separate spots. While most first-year players are still adjusting to the NFL’s tempo, Campbell is moving like the game’s already slowing down for him.

What’s making the biggest impression? His instincts. One assistant coach described it perfectly:

“He’s got the body of a linebacker and the eyes of a safety.”

As the Eagles begin shaping a defense for the post–Fletcher Cox era, Campbell’s emergence is more than exciting — it’s foundational. He’s not just another body. He’s someone who might redefine how this defense lines up.

“You can’t miss him,” a veteran said after practice. “He’s flying around — and he’s loud without saying anything.”

With that kind of presence, Jihaad Campbell isn’t just fitting in. He’s forcing his way into the conversation as one of the most important young players on this team’s future.

Eagles Head Coach Announces A.J. Brown To Start On The Bench For Standout Rookie After Poor Performance vs. Broncos
  Philadelphia, PA — the Philadelphia Eagles’ head coach confirmed that A.J. Brown will start on the bench in Week 6 against the New York Giants, with the boundary starting spot going to rookie WR Taylor Morin—an undrafted signing out of Wake Forest who flashed through rookie camp and the preseason. The decision follows an underwhelming offensive showing against the Denver Broncos, where several snaps highlighted the unit being out of sync between Brown and Jalen Hurts. On a midfield option route, Hurts read Cover-2 and waited for an inside break into the soft spot, while Brown maintained a vertical stem and widened to the boundary to stretch the corner. The ball fell into empty space and the drive stalled. On a separate red-zone snap, a pre-snap hot-route signal wasn’t locked identically by the pair, resulting in a hurried throw that was broken up. The staff treated it as a reminder about route-depth precision, timing, and pre-snap communication—the micro-details that underpin the Eagles’ offense when January football arrives. Starting Morin is part of a plan to re-establish rhythm: the early script is expected to emphasize horizontal spacing, short choice/option concepts, and over routes off play-action to probe the Giants’ responses. Morin—who has shown strong hands in tight windows and clean timing in the preseason—should give the call sheet a steadier platform, while Brown will be “activated” in high-leverage downs such as 3rd-and-medium, two-minute, and red zone to maximize his body control, early separation, and the coverage gravity that can force New York to roll coverage. Facing the tough call, Brown kept his response brief but competitive:“I can’t accept letting a kid take my spot, but I respect his decision. Let’s see what we’re saying after the game. I’ll practice and wait for my chance. When the ball is in the air, everyone will know who I am.” Operationally, the staff is expected to streamline the call sheet between Hurts and Brown: standardize option-route depths, clearly flag hot signals, and increase game-speed reps in 7-on-7 and team periods so both are “seeing it the same and triggering the same.” Handing the start to Morin also resets the locker-room standard: every role is earned by tape and daily detail—even for a star of Brown’s caliber. If Brown converts the message into cleaner stems and precise landmarks—catching the ball at the spot and on time—the Eagles anticipate early returns: fewer dead drives, better red-zone execution when back-shoulder throws and choice routes are run “in the same language,” and an offense that regains tempo before taking on Big Blue. With Taylor Morin in the opening script, Philadelphia hopes the fresh piece is enough to jump-start the attack from the first series.