We can agree to disagree, after all until the fall when we see NFL action there is no proof one way or the other. I see your point that statistically Will Campbell was dominant and the best LT in the country. I'm not arguing any of that, I'm merely pointing out for the people who only look at stats, and where he was picked, that the expectations are probably going to be a disappointment. I don't know about you but when I think of a player picked fourth overall I expect them to be top 5 or 10 at their position sometime in their rookie contract.
I don't think Campbell will ever be top 10, probably somewhere in the 10-20 range, a little above average in his best year. The reason I think that is the film I have watched. At no point did I see him drive block his guy 3 yards backwards so he isn't an elite run blocker. He's fast, smart, and mobile so he gets where he needs to be in front of his man and that has value in a zone blocking scheme but if you put a man head up on him and expect him to move the line of scrimmage... I just haven't seen it.
A LT who isn't great at run blocking, ok that's not what they get paid the big bucks for anyway so clearly his pass blocking is elite. At no point when I was watching did I say WOW like I did multiple times watching Membou's film. Campbell is a fine technician that has seen it all and is where he is supposed to be. But it isn't clean, it isn't dominate, and at the college level it should be. When I saw that I asked why? Low and behold he's got a historically small wingspan. If I watched the film and his wingspan had been 84 inches I would have been digging for another reason, doesn't care? lousy work ethic? lazy? doesn't take to coaching? Thing is Campbell passes all of those questions with flying colors so it has to be the wingspan.
Pass rushers in college generally don't have a huge repertoire of rush moves, they tend to have one they have mastered and that's good enough against the vast majority of guys they go against. NFL players are different, they know exactly what move will highlight your weakness. The weakness of a guy with a small frame is counter moves where you start off with a speed rush to the outside, and then once they have committed swatting their arms and going inside. That's what I'm most worried about, and who knows it might not be an issue. No one will be happier to eat crow then me, feel free to bring it up every all pro he earns, and I will admit the error of my ways. It won't be the first time, I've learned to not question the pros on why they pick someone after Devin McCourty. I was livid "another short ****ing corner" throwing things, just absurdly pissed. Turns out he should be a first ballet patriots hall of famer, a borderline NFL hall of famer (no but it's close) and was one of the better picks in Patriot history. I was flat out wrong. Maybe I will be again.
