TRANSCRIPT: Mike Vrabel Press Conference After Taking Will Campbell
Follow us
Follow Us
🕑 Read Time: 7 minutes
Posted Under: 2025 Patriots Draft
HOME > Patriots Blog > 2025 Patriots Draft
Here’s what Mike Vrabel had to say after the Patriots selected Will Campbell Thursday Night. Portions of the beginning were omitted as the broadcast was joined in progress:
OPENING STATEMENT:
“… we had some conversations to make sure we were prepared. Those situations that we talked about a few weeks ago prior to the draft that we went through on Monday. This was a very easy pick for us.”
On the fact when he spoke with him, if he reminded him of a younger Mike Vrabel:
“No. We stay out of the comparisons and that business. This is a young player who cares deeply about the team, is a leader in that room, but to compare him to me or anybody else, no. But we love his football character, his play demeanor, his play style, how coachable he is. A 21-year-old player that started 38 to 40 games in the SEC is something that is impressive.”
On when and how Campbell cemented himself as the pick for them during this process:
“I think probably last week when Eliot and I and Ryan and a few others went down and spent time with him and worked him out, and then went and worked out a few more players the same day. We made a circuit, and I think when we came back, and we slept on it and had the conversations about where it would be if he was on the board, I think, probably then.”
On if he sees him as a left tackle:
“Yeah, I mean, that’s where started, and he’s a left tackle. That’s what he’s played. That’s what he’s done. And so he’ll come in here and he’ll compete to be the left tackle just like everybody else is going to compete for their spots. That’s what we’re trying to create here is something that there’s competition at every position, and that our players believe that the best players are going to play.”
On the fact he said arm length wasn’t a problem for them in terms of overall evaluation and when he met Campbell, how comfortable has he been with him over the course of the year getting to know him:
“Everybody has a play style. Everybody has a skillset, and it’s what you do within that skill set, and the tricks that you learn in this business, and how you play, and how you do your job. I think he’s learned a lot of those to play on the left side and to pass protect. For a taller player, he sinks his hips in the run game and is able to stay attached in the pass game and widen the pocket and create the width of the pocket and get out on the perimeter. So it’s a total package. And if you drop back and you throw the ball 40 times in this league, it’s tough sledding for anybody. Let me just tell you that. If it turns into a drop-back passing game in the National Football League, it’s going to be an issue for anybody. And when you talk about play style, how is he going to be able to create that and be able to … for offensive linemen, it’s so much about a reaction of resetting your hand, chopping the arm down, all these tricks of the trade that they use, and they have to be able to make great decisions and split-second decisions. So his body work is out there on the left side against a lot of really good rushers. They’re all going to get beat. So we can watch every time that a left tackle gets beat. They all get beat. I’ve been in this league for 25 years, but I’m just confident in how quickly he is able to process and change and have a lot of different pitches at such a young age.”
On the fact they brought in Morgan Moses and how important it is to have a veteran leader in the room at tackle bringing in a younger guy into camp:
“The more leadership that we can have, the better. And I’ve appreciated Morgan since the time that I’ve known him personally. There’s a lot of people around here in our building that had a high affinity for him, going through the free agency process. And it became evident to me quickly that this was the type of person and player that we wanted on our football team. And he is going to help not only Will, but everybody else in that room and anybody else that we’ll add through the course of three days. So I love everything that Morgan is about as a person, as a father. And he communicates with me. He’s raising three boys, three young boys, and that’s probably his most important job right now, and I would agree with that.”
On if he talked to him at all during that process about the tackle and what his role is:
“No, I mean, I have a pretty good idea. I think Eliot has a pretty good idea. I think Ryan and everybody else in our personnel department has a pretty good idea on what to look for when you’re talking about offensive linemen. But we value, again, we value all our players’ opinions on things, and they all have them. Some are better than others.”
About the fact there’s been a lot of discussion about movement in the first round and if they received any offers for the #4 pick:
“No. I think at this point in time, it was pretty quiet. I think we would have entertained anything that anybody offered us, but it was pretty quiet. I think everybody was going up for two players, and one was already there, and they didn’t have to move, and the other team that wanted to get to two got there. We would have been open, but excited to be able to stay there and pick and get Will.”
On the fact they have the extra third-round pick and if they anticipate being aggressive to try and get back into the first round:
“I think if the right players are there. Give us something to do tonight so we’re not just sitting there watching, but just not to go up for just to go up. So if somebody’s there that we have rated at a great spot and a great value, I think then we could go back up. But we’ll see as the draft goes on and who comes off the board and whether we just sit there and wait till tomorrow.”
On if Campbell eventually has to move inside if that’s a mis-evaluation this high in the draft at fourth overall:
“I think that what we’re focused on is where he’s going to be tomorrow and the next day, and not what the mis-evaluation is. We coveted this player. This was a very good football player. I think part of the draft is adding great pieces and great players to your roster, which is what we did. So he hasn’t even shown up here in Foxborough, and we’re not going to talk about where he’s going to play or what he’s going to do. I’m going to let everything really speak for itself and let his play and what he does in the community, and most importantly on the field, before we start talking about that. I just think that that’s not fair. I’ve never thought about that one time. We’ve watched every game that he’s played, put a lot of work into this, and we’re all excited and happy that he’s here.”
In terms of his character, how he fits the mold of what they’re looking to do:
“There’s a play style, there’s a play demeanor. I’ll just tell you this, when we went down there to work him out, he showed up with one purpose, and that was for us to pick him. From the time that we walked in the building to the time that we left and got on the plane, he had one objective, and that was to prove to us that he was the right player for us. I’ll say that, and I can speak for everybody else that was there.”
On what the timeline is for him and how important it is to take their time on his development to get him ready to eventually play at left tackle:
“It’s just block your guy. When you talk about coming from the… They threw the ball a ton. Let’s not kid ourselves. He had more drop-back snaps than pretty much anybody else in college football. They threw the ball 50 times, it wasn’t RPOs like everybody else. So he’s pass protected. He’s run blocked. He’s coming out of a pro system. The terminology, he’s already been through it. I don’t know how many times with our guys or with me, and I think it’s going to be a quick learning curve as far as the scheme. And then again, there’s going to be a learning curve and adjustment to everything that he does. But he’s coming from a great program, one that’s built similar to pro football. Football is very important to him. But we’ll also, just like every other player, we’ll give him exactly what they can handle.”
On the fact there was a report that he was involved in the workout last week and he had a blocking pad on, and why it was important for him to be involved in that:
“Well, who made that report? And then I’ll answer the question.
Pete Thamel?
“Okay. Well, Pete, ‘Mr. College Football’. Yeah, they all knocked me around pretty good. I realized I’m close 50. And if that tape ever gets out, people are going to have some problems. So I hope that tape never sees the light of day. But I think it was important for me to get out there and feel him and feel every player that we evaluated at the line of scrimmage.”
On what, if anything that surprised him about this process:
“I mean, it’s not like I just showed up here in January for the first time. I’ve been in the league a long time, so nothing surprises me in this league anymore. There’s just distractions that are going to happen throughout our team with our season. They’re unavoidable. So I hope no one ever says, ‘Hey, we want to eliminate distractions,’ because I would say that that’s impossible. We just want to handle them the best that we can and be ready for them and be prepared for them.”
On how important it is to have the vinegar that Campbell brings to the table for an offensive lineman:
“I think that’s one of the only ways that you can survive as a player in this league at the line of scrimmage. The play demeanor, the finish, the effort. The guys on the other side are talented. It’s how it goes. I think we can all see that. So there’s a lot to playing this game other than just looking good and having great technique. We valued that, and we’re going to continue to value that. The ability to finish and to grind through when it gets tough is something that we’re going to be excited about. We’re going to give him every opportunity to develop and push him as fast as he’ll let us go.”
“Thank you.”
(EDITOR’S NOTE: This transcript was done based on the available footage and is subject to typographical errors. If you spot anything, please let me know in the comments below.)
From our archive - this week all-time:
April 8 - April 23 (Through 26yrs)
Join 2,000+ fans getting exclusive stats, analysis, and insights delivered straight to their inbox every week. Never miss a play.