Patriots draft profile: Will Campbell is a top-tier prospect, short arms be damned

The LSU product is arguably the best offensive lineman in this year’s draft.

The New England Patriots had to use a variety of left tackles during the 2024 season, but none of them proved themselves worthy of being long-term options at what is a premium position in the game. While two of them — Vederian Lowe and Caedan Wallace — remain in the mix as of now, the team trying to upgrade early in the draft is expected to happen.

If so, LSU’s Will Campbell might be the player to watch. He is a polarizing prospect whose NFL position remains unclear at the moment, but there is no denying he would be an immediate upgrade over what the Patriots have available on the left side of their line.

Hard facts

Name: Will Campbell

Position: Offensive tackle

School: LSU

Opening day age: 21 (1/6/2004)

Measurements: 6’5 7/8”, 319 lbs, 77 3/8” wingspan, 32 5/8” arm length, 9 1/2” hand size, 4.98s 40-yard dash, 32” vertical jump, 9’5” broad jump, 9.91 Relative Athletic Score

Experience

Colleges: LSU (2022-24)

Career statistics: 38 games (38 starts) | 2,553 offensive snaps, 222 special teams snaps | 49 pressures surrendered (4 sacks, 13 hits, 32 hurries) | 15 penalties

Accolades: Consensus All-American (2024), Jacobs Blocking Trophy (2024), First-team All-SEC (2023, 2024), Second-team All-SEC (2022), Freshman All-American (2022), Freshman All-SEC (2022)

As a freshman at Neville High School in his hometown of Monroe, LA, Campbell already played on the varsity team and never looked back. He led the school to four straight district titles and was an All-America selection as a senior. As a four-star recruit, he decided to stay close to home and joined LSU over offers from several powerhouse programs such as Alabama, Georgia and Texas.

Campbell immediately was inserted into the Tigers’ starting lineup and over the next three years started all 38 games he appeared in. Before opting out of LSU’s bowl game to cap off his junior season and college career, he missed only one game due to an illness. He received All-SEC recognition in each of his three seasons in Baton Rouge and won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy honoring the SEC’s best lineman in 2024.

Campbell decided to forgo his final year of eligibility to enter the draft. He participated in the NFL Scouting Combine and had a 30 visit with the Patriots.

Draft profile

Expected round: 1 (top 10) | Consensus big board: No. 6 | Patriots meeting: 30 visit

Strengths: Except for one much-discussed red flag — more on that in a second — Campbell has everything you are looking for in an offensive tackle and top 10 draft pick. He has the proper height and weight to make the transition to the NFL, and combines it with an outstanding athletic skillset. While usually not a descriptor used for players at his position, his movements on the field are nothing short of graceful for an offensive tackle.

His agility and body control allow him to stay balanced and in control both as a pull blocker in the run game or when going against pass rushers; there are no wasted movements in his kick slide. He combines those moving skills with a sharp processor, and reacts properly and quickly to line games while also being able to identify targets and take correct angles in the run game. He also plays the game with the proper power and has a nasty finish as a run blocker; his grip strength is impressive and he generally places his hands quickly and effectively to get the literal upper hand in 1-on-1 situations.

Besides his on-field abilities, Campbell also managed to quickly establish himself as a team leader at LSU. By only his second season he was named a team captain, an honor he held in Year 3 as well, and he became the first lineman in school history to be awarded the No. 7 given to the best playmaker on the team from the state of Louisiana (he wore it as a badge rather than his jersey number to comply with SEC number rules).

Weaknesses: We have to start with the elephant in the room: Campbell’s size, specifically his lack of arm length and wingspan. There is no sugarcoating it, either; he is a complete outlier when it comes to tackle prospects in those two categories. Using the Mockdraftable database, which goes back to 1999, he ranks in the 7 percentile for offensive tackle prospects in arm length and in the 0 percentile in wingspan.

He managed to work around those shortcomings in the SEC, but the NFL is a different beast with defenders better suited to exploit them. His margin of error at the pro level will therefore be slimmer than for other OT prospects, and his technique, anchor, footwork and pad level will need to be on point in order for him to live up to his expected draft status. That was not always the case even in college, though: at times, Campbell came a bit high out of his stance, found himself out-leveraged, or gave too much space on his inside shoulder.

Another problem with Campbell is his tendency to be penalized. After getting flagged once as a freshman and five times as a sophomore, he was responsible for nine penalties during his 2024 junior campaign. Most of those were mental lapses — seven of his nine in 2024 were for false starts — but he needs to clean up this area of his game at the next level.

Patriots preview

What would be his role? That is the $43.7 million (i.e. what the fourth overall pick’s contract will be worth) question. The Patriots are, in a way, in a good position when it comes to looking for an answer, though: neither their left tackle nor their left guard spot currently appear to be set, which means that they could just add Campbell to the mix and see where he fits best based on the other pieces around him. He projects as a Day 1 starter at both tackle and guard.

What is his growth potential? Still only 21 years old, Campbell has plenty of room for growth despite already offering a high floor. Once he gets used to NFL play strength and shores up the inconsistencies in his technique, he has the potential to become one of the best linemen in the league regardless of position. His ceiling might be higher at guard than tackle, but he could become a Pro Bowl-caliber option at either spot.

Does he have positional versatility? Of his 2,553 offensive snaps at LSU, all but three came at the left tackle position. His versatility therefore is limited, and yet Campbell could be a candidate to kick inside and move from tackle to guard at the next level. That transition is not uncommon; four-time Super Bowl champion and ex-Patriot Joe Thuney made the same move upon entering the league in 2016 and quickly became one of the best guards in the NFL. Campbell does offer some added versatility as far as his work on the field goal and extra point protection units are concerned.

Why the Patriots? The general uncertainty on the left side of their offensive line is the obvious reason why the Patriots might be interested in Campbell early in the first round of the draft. He is arguably the top lineman available and would instantly upgrade the entire unit no matter where he ends up playing. In addition, he is an A-plus locker room presence and potential future team captain who could serve as a leader along the O-line for years to come.

Why not the Patriots? The questions about Campbell’s length and NFL position might be legitimate concerns and potential deal-breakers for New England. Spending the fourth overall pick in him might therefore be too rich an investment for the franchise.

One-sentence verdict: Campbell is a bit of a “love him or hate him” prospect at the moment, but make no mistake: he is a top-tier prospect worthy of being drafted early on Day 1.

What do you think about Will Campbell as a potential Patriots target? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts.