ClutchPoints
In the eyes of many, including Daniel Jeremiah, the Philadelphia Eagles got the steal of the 2025 NFL Draft by selecting Jihaad Campbell with the 31st overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Sure, he has injury concerns and some have questioned what his ideal position is at the NFL level, be that inside linebacker, 4-3 outside linebacker, or 3-4 inside linebacker, but after being considered a top 12 or so player in this year’s class regardless of position, landing Campbell at the end of the 2025 NFL Draft is a textbook example of the rich getting richer.
But recall, if you will, that Howie Roseman added nine other players in the 2025 NFL Draft, plus a few more in undrafted free agency, and some of those players have a chance to contribute too, alongside Campbell and second-round pick Andrew Mukuba.
Though he may have been Philadelphia’s final selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, don’t be surprised if Antwaun Powell-Ryland ends up playing a role for Philadelphia this fall.
Heading into the 2025 NFL Draft, the Eagles have a very interesting collection of edge rushers but only one established starter in 2023 first-round pick Nolan Smith.
With Josh Sweat gone and Charles Harris still a free agent, the Eagles are bringing back 2024 third-round pick Jaylex Hunt from 2024 and Patrick Johnson and have bolstered the position with Josh Uche and Azeez Ojulari in free agency, but the incumbents have a combined three starts under their collective belts opposite Smith, with the new additions both on one-year contracts. Sure, they still have Bryce Huff, who was signed to a big-money free agent deal last spring, but Vic Fangio didn’t trust him to play in the Super Bowl, with former Jet a healthy scratch for the big game, while opting to run a three-man rotation when it mattered most.
If either Uche or Ojulari hits, great, the Eagles will get that veteran edge rusher they expected when they signed Huff last spring. But if that happens, that player will then ask for a new, long-term contract, which may be hard for Howie Roseman to pull off, considering he has new deals for Carter and Smith that will need to be negotiated next year.
Enter Antwaun Powell-Ryland, who falls into the sweet spot of long-term team control and intriguing upside.
The NCAA sack leader over the past two seasons, with 25.5 on his resume between 2024 and 2025, APR doesn’t look like a prolific outside linebacker at the NFL level. Turning on his tape shows a player with short arms and a lack of obvious muscular definition, with the edge taking down ACC quarterbacks in a decidedly non-powerhouse Virginia Tech uniform.
And yet, while Powell-Ryland doesn’t look the part, it’s hard to argue that he wasn’t effective. Powell-Ryland has a lethal spin move, has a quick first step, and knows how to weave through the congestion of the trenches to get to the...
