DRAFT Welcome to New England, LSU OT Will Campbell

[signbabybrady]

An older quote from Scar on arm length.

 

[Sully]

I’m excited about this pick. I believe he has the talent to be a fixture on our line for the next decade. In addition the Oline needs leadership now and Campbell brings that. If anyone had the intangibles to overcome the arm length it’s him.

 

[Sect140]

The truth hurts. Campbell is an obvious wasted draft pick and every other team in the league is celebrating it.

As you are.

 

[Sect140]

Jets just picked a superior OT at 6. So embarrassing.

Thats strange, I thought we drafted a left tackle and the tackle the Jets picked is a right tackle and has never played left tackle but what do I know, I’m sure all the game stats and people reporting he never played left tackle are wrong.

 

[Sect140]

Jets just picked a superior OT at 6. So embarrassing.

The Daytime Emmy for best actor in a soap opera goes to sportnik.

 

[rogerthat]

Well- I feel similar about this pick than I felt about the Mac Jones pick. For Jones, I had a 2nd round grade on him and felt there were too many questions to draft him where we did. I like Campbell a little more than I did Jones; better intangibles and more balls; maybe slightly better film. But I still don't like the pick. Too much risk in my opinion.

That being said, as I said about the Jones pick; I'm happy to be wrong.

 

[Sect140]

Here is the thing, its hard to see real roster improvement with this team despite 120 million in cap space and the fourth overall pick.
Fans want to see an exciting team and yes that means a potent offense.
No playmakers on this team.
Vrabel not known for his love of offensive high scoring teams. No one wants to watch 12-10 games for another decade.
Vrabel and Wolf are not bold innovators.
I have no doubt none of the remaining draft picks are going to be impact players
This post Brady rebuild continues to suck

I want to see a team that wins, I frigging don’t care if it’s 38 to 35 or 17 to 14.

 

[Sect140]

Why do Jets fans come to this forum?

They have nothing to talk about on their sites.

 

[Froob]

I think we can put aside our concerns that Membou could be better given the Jets picked him.

 

[patsinthesnow]

Not sure many are aware that Campbell is a freak athlete. Yes he has short arms but a 3 year starter in the SEC & 99th percentile athleticism is impressive.

 

[sb1]

The truth hurts. Campbell is an obvious wasted draft pick and every other team in the league is celebrating it.

I don’t think many other teams are giving much thought to a 4-13 Patriots team at all much less caring about who they pick.

The Pats needed a LT and it seems they got a very good one with a high ceiling. Nobody is expecting him to be Pace or Hannah.

 

[Sect140]

This is fantastic. His theme song is Godzilla and he is gonna be one nasty ***** at LT.

I can picture it now during home games, Godzilla by Blue Oyster Cult playing on the sound system.

 

[Patsfan1645]

The kid started as a freshman in the SEC and only missed two games in three years. Gave up two sacks in the last two years and logged thousands of reps in a pure drop back passing scheme. Campbell is good whether his arms are 33 inches or 23 inches. But there will be the crowd that will live and die on the hill of a tape measurement be damned of what the stats and game footage show. I'm sure when he lets a guy get to Maye this year it will sound like a bunch of quacking geese on here........arms, arms, arms, arms, arms.......ARMS!!!!

 

[sb1]

Walter Football who is no fan of Patriot drafts in recent years had this to say about Campbell:

NFL Draft Grades 2025 – WalterFootball

walterfootball.com

New England Patriots: Will Campbell, OT/G, LSU – A+ Grade
The Patriots could have been scared off by Will Campbell’s short arms, but I think this would have been a huge mistake. Plenty of offensive linemen with short arms have thrived over the years. Campbell has elite tape and athleticism. In fact, prior to the 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Combine, only two offensive linemen recorded his level of athleticism: Trent Williams and Tristan Wirfs. That’s pretty great company! The Patriots obviously made the correct pick here to find much-needed protection for Drake Maye.

 

[Triumph]

 

[jdlboot14]

I'm thrilled the speculation is over. He's going to be a better than anyone we've had at LT for the last 6 years - on day 1.

He will start week 1 (baring injury) which is what we've been looking for on that side for years.
Sure, it'd be all popcorn if we had shocked with Jeanty or Warren... but this is the right pick, because it's the "obvious" pick.
Safe, in this situation, is great. I don't have any concern he'll bust, its far less likely than any skill player we would've picked.

 

[Patsfan1645]

He mentioned in his interview that in week 5 of the college season he met Wolfe and told him then he wanted to be a Pat. He didn't fall in love with the team after he was drafted. Vrabel said in his interview that Will had one mission on their visits and that was to prove to them he was the right pick and it seems he made a big impression on them. The more they talked with him and worked him out it was clear to them that he would be a great fit for the team.

This is the kind of dude who is going to leave all on the field week in and week out for this team and the fans.

 

[Rob0729]

Mixed feels.

On the one hand, I do not love taking a LT at 4 unless he is a near guaranteed stud, but on the other hand, it is our most pressing need. The Patriots haven't had even a relatively good LT since 2021. So he will be a massive upgrade even if he struggles a bit.

Worried about his wing span and arm length, but from what I have read is his athleticism is off the charts. Like rare earth for a tackle off the charts. Maybe his athleticism will make up for his dinosaur arms where other short armed tackles failed to succeed.

I do have faith that if his arm length is an issue that McDaniels will work the offense to limit that flaw. I also have faith and Marone and Scar to coach him up so he can adjust to that liability.

In another draft where there were more than two blue chip talents, I would be far more disappointed. But there really was nothing there beyond Hunter (who the Jags gave way too much to get) and Carter. I think people have really started to overhype Jeanty the last few weeks to make him LaDainian Tomlinson 2.0 where prior his projection was a little more modest. So I am not upset they passed on him.

Since there were no blue chips available, I do not mind them going for need by drafting a player who was considered a top 5 or top 10 pick in this current draft. It isn't like they reached for need.

 

[TommyD4207]

I think you had to try. Getting a decent o-line in front of Drake is at least as important as getting him "weapons," though that necessity will hopefully be high on the agenda for the rest of the draft.

Three things have made this draft difficult: First, Mayo's inability to figure out how to lose a damned game, fer crissakes (Robert gets an assist for being such a besotted wuss about compelling him to do just that.) Second, the very mediocre quality of this draft, particularly at LT. Third, we are still suffering the legacy of Bill's negligence in maintaining even a decent roster, particularly on offense. So a combination of misfortune and past incompetence has put us in a situation which will take at least one more year to remedy. I'm guessing it will take at least two. Hopefully we can hit on a healthy number of this year's picks going forward. If they draft any more defensive prospects this year, there had better be a damned good reason for doing so.

We have to call it a success, given all this, if Campbell is a "solid" player, even if eventually at guard. If you are looking for excitement in this year's draft you are fated to be disappointed. It is (snort) what it is.

Meanwhile, Campbell seems like a man of outstanding character. I think that does matter. So there's that.

 

[Rob0729]

2025 NFL Draft: Grades for every first-round pick

Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft is officially in the books. The PFF Live Draft Tracker has been grading and analyzing every pick in real time, and now it’s time to break down the results with full evaluations for all 32 first-round selections.

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