There’s something special about Jihaad Campbell becoming an Eagle

The Eagles’ first round pick is soaking in every moment of realizing his dream to play in the NFL.

From tweets years ago to admitting he grew up an Eagles fan, first round pick Jihaad Campbell has been embracing being drafted to a team he knows all too well. The New Jersey native spoke about his grandfather being a huge Randall Cunningham fan, and how his whole family was excited about his landing spot. Those are all sweet anecdotes, but seeing Campbell arrive at the NovaCare Complex and watching him step onto the practice field completely wrapped up in the moment is special.

His family joined him as he made his way into the building, and sat in the back of the room as the rookie handled his first official press conference — they looked real sharp, too.

Maybe the Eagles more than most prioritize bringing in local guys who know and embrace the Philadelphia culture, but it’s not something they do for optics. Having players who understand the magnitude of putting on the midnight (or kelly) green uniforms, and appreciate how special it is to take the field at The Linc, means just as much to the fans as it does to their teammates.

Campbell is already embracing the heft of this moment, and he’s soaking in every second of realizing his dream to not only play in the NFL, but to play for his favorite team.