The Philadelphia Eagles 2024 NFL Draft class paid off last season as top draft picks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean play big roles in the team’s Super Bowl run. Did the team find the right players in the 2025 NFL Draft to help them overcome key roster departures in the offseason?
Like most Super Bowl winning teams, the Eagles took a hit in free agency with top free agents like Milton Williams, Josh Sweat and Darius Slay signing with other teams. To compound that, the team traded cornerback C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Texans setting up an overhaul in roster on the defensive side of the ball.
Philadelphia Eagles address top needs:
To address some of those needs, the Eagles used their first five picks in the 2025 NFL Draft on defensive players. Did they find the right players to come in and not only fill needs, but make an immediate impact Year 1? They certainly round some great value and talent in their selections.
Here are 3 rookies to watch for the Philadelphia Eagles:
Round 1, Pick No. 31– Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama: One of the standouts of the NFL Combine, former Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell gives the defending Super Bowl champions another versatile, young defender on defense. In selecting him with the No. 31 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Eagles have a player who can step in right away and could be one of the top defenders drafted by the end of the 2025 NFL season.
Why?
As an athletic, versatile off-ball linebacker, Campbell was a first-team All-SEC selection who racked up 117 tackles with the Crimson Tide in 2024. The versatility he displays should help him get on the field, perhaps in a hybrid/edge role given the linebacker depth the Eagles already have with Nakobe Dean and Zach Baun leading the way. Expect an early impact from the first-round pick as the Eagles explore the best way to utilize his talent on the field.
Round 2, Pick No. 64 – Andrew Mukuba, S, Texas: The Eagles continue to find value in the secondary with the selection of Andrew Mukuba. A year after double-dipping at defensive back with the selections of Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, the Eagles add another young talent in Mukuba who will compete for the starting safety role opposite Reed Blankenship.
Like Campbell, Mukuba is a dynamic playmaker with elite speed who is versatile enough to play in different coverages and move into the box to defend the run if needed. Along with Mitchell and DeJean, the addition of this rookie gives the Eagles a nice foundation of young pieces in the defensive backfield.
Round 4, Pick 111– Ty Robinson, DT, Nebraska: Given the losses along the defensive line, the Eagles will need fourth-round pick Ty Robinson to step up and add depth to a line led by Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis.
The former Nebraska star has the size, athleticism and experience to come in and make an impact as a rotational player who can help fill the void left by the loss of Milton Williams. As a versatile defensive lineman, Robinson’s explosive first step and power in rushing through blockers will earn him snaps, especially against the run where he excelled with the Cornhuskers. His high motor will stand out, but his overall defensive awareness and versatility will add to the youth movement the Eagles are putting together on defense.