Jihaad Campbell
Jihaad Campbell is an American professional football linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League. He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide and was selected by the Eagles in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft.
Early life
Campbell was born on February 24, 2004. He attended Timber Creek Regional High School in Erial, New Jersey for three years before transferring to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. As a senior, he played both wide receiver and defensive end, hauling in 15 receptions for 249 yards and two touchdowns and tallying 45 tackles and seven sacks. On August 4, 2020, the 16 year old Campbell received his top offer to play football at Clemson, where he initially committed to play college football. However, he later flipped his commitment to play football for the University of Alabama.
As a freshman in 2022, Campbell notched one tackle on the season. In week 4 of the 2023 season, he recorded seven tackles in a win over Ole Miss. In the following week, in his first start, Campbell tallied 14 tackles, with one going for a loss, and an interception, in a win over Mississippi State. In week 8, he notched ten tackles and recovered a fumble which he returned 24 yards for a touchdown in a 34–20 win over Tennessee.
Campbell was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles with the 31st overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft. For the Eagles to select Campbell, they traded with the Kansas City Chiefs the 32nd pick and the 164th pick.
Personal life
Campbell is Muslim, and has openly bonded with his teammates through Islam, such as fellow Muslim Alabama linebacker Chris Braswell. His parents, Jabari and Jamillah, named him Jihaad, an Arabic word meaning "struggle" and "effort". During his time at Alabama he was an active member at the Islamic Center of Tuscaloosa.