Eagles rookie report: What Jihaad Campbell, Drew Mukuba did for 1st time in over 20 years

There's no secret about how a Super Bowl team like the Eagles is supposed to regenerate itself.

Sure, the Eagles need great players, and they have a plethora of those on offense, and potentially on defense.

But one factor that is overlooked is the necessity for youth throughout the roster. That is essential as the star players get more expensive, and some other really good players leave in free agency because they're no longer affordable.

So it's worth paying attention to the play of two rookies in linebacker Jihaad Campbell and safety Drew Mukuba, the Eagles' first- and second-round picks, respectively, in the NFL draft last spring.

Campbell and Mukuba started in the Eagles' season-opening 24-20 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 4 − in part because they had to, and in part because they deserved to.

To consider how rare that is, the Eagles haven't had two rookies start in Week 1 in at least 20 years.

"It’s big time," veteran linebacker Zack Baun said about two rookies starting Week 1. "Super proud of those guys. I came up to each of them before the game to say how proud I was of them just for going through what they’re going through.

"It’s a big deal any time you start in an NFL game, and as rookies that’s super special."

Campbell and Mukuba made an impact right away, too.

Campbell was credited with forcing a fumble on running back Miles Sanders as the Cowboys were driving for the potential go-ahead touchdown late in the third quarter. Campbell also broke up a pass 30 yards down the field intended for tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford that likely would have gone for a touchdown.

Mukuba, meanwhile, started at safety over Sydney Brown despite missing two weeks during training camp − first with a shoulder injury early in camp, then with a hamstring later on.

Campbell played 92% of the snaps and had 3 tackles in addition to the pass defensed and forced fumble. Mukuba played 84% of the snaps and had 4 tackles.

"First game, you know how they go, butterflies, kind of nervous before you take the field, a lot of excitement with everything going on," Mukuba said. "When the game starts, all that stuff, you got to let all that go and play football.

"Overall, though, it was a good first game. A lot to learn, a lot to get better from. But you take the win any time."

This is not unusual anymore for a team trying to go on what Eagles coach Nick Sirianni has called a run of "sustained success."

Look no further than at the Kansas City Chiefs, the team the Eagles vanquished in the Super Bowl, and face again in a rematch on Sept. 14 in Kansas City.

The Chiefs have played in five Super Bowls in seven seasons, winning three. They have gotten at least as far as the AFC Championship game in all seven seasons.

After the Chiefs lost in the AFC Championship game in 2021, they had two rookies starting on defense in Week 1 of the 2022 season in defensive end George Karlaftis and cornerback Trent McDuffie.

By the time the Chiefs faced the Eagles in the Super Bowl five months later, the Chiefs had four rookie starters in the secondary alone. In addition, running back Isiah Pacheco and wide receiver Skyy Moore were major factors, both during the regular season and in the Chiefs' 38-35 win over the Eagles in the Super Bowl.

This is not new for the Eagles, either.

Eagles recent history with rookies

Last season, the Eagles would have had two rookies start the opener had cornerback Cooper DeJean not hurt his hamstring before training camp, setting him back nearly four weeks. Mitchell started Week 1 and became a top cornerback. DeJean became a full-time player beginning Week 6.

In addition, edge rusher Jalyx Hunt became a key player late last season, and running back Will Shipley is considered Saquon Barkley's top backup this season. Mitchell was drafted in the first round, DeJean in the second, Hunt in the third and Shipley in the fourth.

In 2023, Jalen Carter started Week 1. Fellow first-round pick Nolan Smith became a starter last season and third-round guard Tyler Steen is a starter this season. So is seventh-round pick defensive tackle Moro Ojomo.

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The 2022 draft produced starters in defensive tackle Jordan Davis, who became a starter last season, and center Cam Jurgens, who replaced Jason Kelce last season and was named to the Pro Bowl. Third-round pick Nakobe Dean was also a starter last season before tearing his patellar tendon in the playoffs. He has yet to return.

In 2021, wide receiver DeVonta Smith started Week 1, and guard Landon Dickerson became a full-time starter Week 3. Defensive tackle Milton Williams was a starter last season, then left for the New England Patriots in free agency.

How did the Eagles' other 2025 rookies do?

As for the other 2025 rookies, fifth-round pick Smael Mondon, a linebacker, played on special teams, as did fifth-round pick Mac McWilliams, a cornerback. Fourth-round pick Ty Robinson, a defensive tackle, was not on the game-day roster. Neither was sixth-round pick Cameron Williams, a tackle.

Sixth-round pick Myles Hinton, a tackle, is on injured reserve; sixth-round pick Kyle McCord, a quarterback, is on the practice squad; and edge rusher Antwaun Powell-Ryland, a sixth-round pick, was released off the practice squad last week.

But never have two rookies started the opener, and that goes back to at least 2005.

"It says a lot," Mukuba said about two rookies starting. "This is a team that’s coming off a Super Bowl last year with a lot of returning starters. But me and Jihaad going out there as rookies starting says a lot about the work and preparation we put in when we got here.

"It’s paying off."

The Eagles need it to keep paying off.

Lions set to get sneaky boost as overlooked defender nears return from injury

The Detroit Lions went into their Week 8 bye on a high note with a 24-9 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The defense, with a secondary depleted by injuries and the suspension of Brian Branch, especially stepped up.

Heading into that game, with the bye week around the corner, head coach Dan Campbell was asked about linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez as he seemingly nears a return from the torn ACL he suffered last Thanksgiving.

"Yeah, we're hoping after the bye (to start Rodriguez's 21-day return window), we can start rolling him out there a little bit", Campbell said.

Rodriguez underwent a second surgery to clean up scar tissue in his injured right knee during the offseason. That didn't appear likely to impact the expectation he'd be able to return sometime in November, approaching one year since his injury, and Campbell's comments confirmed that.

Malcolm Rodriguez is more than ready to return to action

While the Lions' secondary became the "Legion of Whom" against the Buccaneers, the linebacking corps has been a core strength of the defense. Jack Campbell, Alex Anzalone, and Derrick Barnes are all having nice seasons (No. 5, No. 23, and No. 33, respectively, among off-ball linebackers by overall Pro Football Focus grade entering Week 8).

So, barring injury (knock on wood), Rodriguez will likely slide into a role as a core special teamer when he's ready to play. That said, he has been effective filling in when needed since he started 15 games as a rookie in 2022.

Before he was injured last season, with Barnes out due to an early-season knee injury and Anzalone later suffering a broken arm, Rodriguez had 43 total tackles and two sacks over 10 games (six starts) and 318 defensive snaps.

The fourth-year man said he's been cleared for everything but football activity for more than a month and has been waiting "to plug in at the perfect time to come back."

"I'm ready for it," Rodriguez said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. "It's one of those things where I want to get thrown into the fire and see what it does. I don't want to just ease into it, I kind of want to go full force."

Every case has to be treated uniquely (see Alim McNeill), but the Lions tend to slow-play putting players back on the field when they're coming back from major injuries. So it's possible that Rodriguez's three-week window to be activated is taken right to the end, and his playing time may be carefully managed for a game or two. But as expected, "Rodrigo" has no interest in being eased into action.

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