Swamp Fox Edged by Seventh-Round Draft Pick

Only a handful of Eagles wore the No. 78 with distinction.

In fact, so barren of a wasteland is the number that, after our top three in the rankings, it was a struggle to find a runner-up.

As it is, here is our jersey countdown to kickoff look at the No. 78 in Eagles history.

Current No. 78:

Sua Opeta. The offensive lineman was added from the practice squad late last year in his rookie season when it was learned another team was going to claim him. Now, the undrafted free agent from Weber State could be in the mix to replace Brandon Brooks at right guard after Brooks tore his Achilles earlier this month. Or Opeta could work himself into an important reserve role on the final roster.

Top 3 to wear No. 78:

3. Hollis Thomas. An undrafted free agent signing out of Northern Illinois in 1996, Thomas had a 10-year career as a defensive tackle with the Eagles. He was waived when the team drafted another No. 78, Broderick Bunkley, in 2006, with the 14thoverall pick.

Thomas had 13.5 sacks and 292 solo tackles in 126 games, with 95 starts. He played four more years in the NFL after leaving Philly, one year with the United Football League’s Omaha Nighthawks then was the defensive line coach for Philadelphia Soul in 2013.

2. Marion Campbell. Known as the Swamp Fox, Campbell came to Philly in 1956 after two years with the 49ers. One of the last “two-way” players who played all offensive and defensive snaps in a game, doing so on both the offensive and defensive lines, Campbell earned Pro Bowl honors in 1959 and 1960. Also, in 1960 he was named first-team All-Pro as part of the Eagles’ championship team.

From 1977-1982, Campbell served as the Eagles’ defensive coordinator then became the team’s head coach from 1983-85, leaving for his second stint as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 1987-89. Campbell’s first stint as Atlanta’s head coach was 1974-76 after six seasons as the Falco’s offensive coordinator.

Campbell passed away in 2016 at the age of 87.

1. Carl Hairston. The Eagles have had some standout seventh-round picks in their draft history. Jalen Mills, Beau Allen, and Kurt Coleman jump quickly to mind, but none as good as Hairston. Taken in that round (the 191st player overall) in 1976 out of Maryland Eastern-Shore, the defensive end played in 116 games with 101 starts in eight seasons and was a starter on the Eagles’ 1980 Super Bowl team.

He had nine sacks and seven fumble recoveries with Philly before moving on to play six years with the Cleveland Browns, where he racked up 37.5 sacks.

Runner-ups:

Antone Davis and Brodrick Bunkley. Neither player lived up to their billing as first-round draft picks.

Davis was the eighth overall in the 1991 draft and made 15 starts at right tackle as a rookie then another 31 starts over the next two seasons at that position before moving to left guard for the 1994 season, where he made 14 starts, then back to right tackle in 1995 for another 14 starts.

Bunkley was the 14th overall pick in 2006, one of four Florida State defensive players taken in the first round of the draft that year.

He played five years for Philly with 76 games played and 52 starts. His career-high in sacks during that time was his second year when he had three. The Eagles tried to trade him to Cleveland for a 2012 fifth-round draft pick in 2011, but Bunkley failed to report so the Eagles swung a deal with the Broncos for an unspecified draft choice.

Others:

Mike Jarmoluk, John Baker, Dave Graham, Wayne Mass, Jim Cagle, Steve Smith, Matt Darwin, Mike Nease, Victor Abiamiri, and Fenuki Tupou.