Both rookie linebackers ball out in Eagles' second preseason game

Both rookie linebackers ball out in Eagles' second preseason game originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The team that just couldn't draft a good linebacker for years now can't stop drafting them.

A year after they drafted Jeremiah Trotter Jr. in the fifth round, the Eagles this year drafted Jihaad Campbell in the first round and Smael Mondon Jr. in the fifth round.

On Saturday, Campbell and Mondon both showed why the Eagles were so high on them in this year's draft in the preseason game against the Browns at the Linc.

Campbell had four tackles, a sack, a tackle for loss and a quarterback hurry, and Mondon contributed four tackles, a tackle for loss and a special teams tackle. Both also looked very good in coverage in a game the Eagle held the Browns to 15 points and 331 yards but lost 22-13. And Trotter continues to play at a high level as well. He had seven tackles Saturday.

With opening day 18 days away, 2024 all-pro 1st-teamer Zack Baun is one starting linebacker and either Campbell or Trotter - probably Campbell - is the other. Trotter will likely start out as the third linebacker until Nakobe Dean returns, and then we'll see what happens. Mondon is having a very good summer but seems destined for a special teams and emergency linebacker role.

There haven't been many years where the Eagles have too many linebackers. This is one of them.

Campbell has been fun to watch this summer as he learns the NFL game and turns his speed, strength, size and athleticism into playmaking just about every day.

I'm always looking for ways to make progress," he said. Like just stacking days every day. And I think that just comes with understanding the scheme, understanding where's your help, understanding your assignment, and how to execute it.

I'm just taking that detail by detail every day. And the game is slowing down for me."

Campbell's sack on Dillon Gabriel in the first quarter put all his strengths on display. He charged up the middle on a blitz with speed and decisiveness, arrived at Gabriel before he had a chance to get out of the way and then brought him down for a four-yard loss.

It was just a blitz call," Campbell said. It was one of those, they call your number, so you've got to make the play. But I just truly appreciate the whole line for what they did to allow me to get the sack in the first place."

The Eagles have only had five rookie linebackers become full-time starters since 1965 - Reggie Wilkes in 1978, Ray Farmer in 1996, Chris Gocong in 2007, Brian Rolle in 2011 and Mychal Kendricks in 2012.

Campbell will almost certainly be the next.

It's a day by day process," he said. When you think about it, just being that versatile piece on the edge, off the edge, playing off-ball(linebacker). I just really appreciate coach Vic (Fangio) and all the other defensive coaches just to grant me the opportunity to learn and grow. Just keep understanding the whole defensive scheme and really the whole defensive playbook so I can continue to go out there and make plays with my other teammates."

The Eagles' first five draft picks in April were defensive players, and all five have been impressive this summer. We saw 2nd-round pick Andrew Mukuba with a 75-yard pick-6 Saturday afternoon, 4th-round pick Ty Robinson had a sack in his first game last week and 5th-round corner Mac McWilliams played well at outside corner Saturday.

Mondon, another 5th-round pick, has been very good as well and in a normal season he'd be in the mix for a starting spot. But his role will likely be special teams and backup linebacker.

Just all of us coming in together, learning everything, we're all going through the same struggles together," Mondon said. So just to see any one of them make a play, it feels like we all made a play because I know where they came from and we all started in the same place. So it just feels good to see them out there making plays."

This linebacker group is impressive and has an impressive coach in Bobby King, who is terrific at developing young linebackers and bringing out the best in them.

You can see the improvement in both Campbell and Mondon week to week and definitely from the first game to the second.

I feel like it was definitely an improvement," Mondon said. I wouldn't necessarily say a big improvement, because there's still some things that I have to work on. But I think I made an improvement. I think I took a step in the right direction."