Eagles general manager Howie Roseman —surprise, surprise — wasn’t watching and waiting while his rival GMs made their draft picks. He was calling and calling and calling — “persistent and determined” — trying to move up because the player he wanted was falling down the draft board.

Campbell was the first pure linebacker the Eagles have drafted in decades, and after years of mostly drafting in the early rounds to ensure that they were stocked up at the offensive/defensive lines first and foremost, the past 12 months or so on defense have had an eye on the position groups further back.

The Eagles traded with the Kansas City Chiefs up to 31 in exchange for their 32nd pick and a fifth rounder, and they drafted Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell, who also plays edge. He attended