MORSE: Patriots Take a Gamble on Campbell

We Got Our Guy!

I love the emotion that Will Campbell showed when speaking with NFL Network’s Jamie Erdahl. He wanted to play for the New England Patriots. In his video teleconference from the Draft, Campbell said that Eliot Wolf came to watch his practice at LSU in Week 5 of the season. The Patriots sent a contingent to Baton Rouge to work him out a week ago. Mike Vrabel said that Will Campbell was not letting them leave without making their decision for them, that he was the choice to make.

I love these quotes from Campbell.

“I’m going to fight and die to protect my QB”

Coach Vrabel is “All ball and no BS”

Asked to describe his type of play “Nasty”

On Patriots.com Unfiltered Evan Lazar pointed out that Campbell had the highest number of “True Pass Sets” (249) of any tackle in College Football according to Pro Football Focus. The other point was that they were against players in the SEC. None of those gimmicky “Run/Pass Option” plays. We are talking Pro Style straight drop back passes that required the blocks to be sustained long enough for the QB to get the pass off.

Falcons Steal the First Round

Atlanta made a great selection of Jalon Walker at #15. I can’t believe he lasted that long. Later in the first round, they made a great trade with the LA Rams and selected pass rusher James Pearce who fell down the draft board because scouts perceived a lackadaisical attitude and aloofness by Pearce. That’s two edge players. They got my award for the best 1^st round draft.

Imagine what the Patriots Would Have Received

Cleveland trades the #2 overall, 4^th Rd104, and 6^th Rd 200 picks, to Jacksonville for #5, 2^nd 36, 4^th 126 and their 2026 1^st Rd selections. If only the Patriots had lost that last game. The Bills really screwed the Patriots by playing nothing but backups, playing a vanilla defense and overall playing not to win. That was twice that Buffalo screwed the young and inexperienced Head Coach (Mayo) and Front Office (Wolf). Wolf was strung along by Buffalo when the Pats were trying to trade back into the 1^st round. Buffalo used the Patriots trade offer to get a better one from Carolina so they could take Xavier Legette. Buffalo dropped out of the 1st round giving up pick #32 and 6^th 200 for the 1^st pick in Round 2 #33 and 5^th 141.

Top Picks Available for Day Two

Dane Brugler has the following players that dropped out of the 1^st round available:

Mike Green EDGE Marshall – I predicted that Green would drop because of off field issues.
Nick Emmanwori S South Carolina – A physical freak, but his play didn’t always match that athleticism.
Will Johnson DB Michigan – didn’t run at the combine and then didn’t run at his Pro Day without any physical limitations. Scouts felt he was ducking the timed runs that would hurt his draft stock, and it did.
Donovan Ezeiruaku EDGE Boston College – I never thought he was a 1^st round pick but he is the top pass rusher available.
Luther Burden WR Missouri – He had a bad season at Mizzou because of the poor QB play of Brady Cook. His 2023 tape was better. “Film study shows Burden still creating consistent separation despite facing increased defensive attention – suggesting his junior year regression was more situational than skill-based” according to NFL Draft Buzz.

I incorrectly selected Johnson, Burden, Ezeiruaku and Aireontae Ersery to be selected in the 1^st round. My 1^st Round Mock Draft failed to include Mason Graham and I swapped him for Ezeiruaku in a later version I submitted for a 1^st round Draft Contest. That is 29 of 32 players that went in the 1^st round and 7 in the correct spots.

The Athletic Chad Graff’s Patriots Board has the following players available for Round Two.

Jayden Higgins WR Iowa State (#57 on Brugler’s Top 300) Big (6’4”) true X receiver. A little slow, but a sure-handed receiver.

Mason Taylor TE LSU (#33 on Brugler’s List) Son of Jason Taylor. Fluid TE, who can also block. One of my draft favorites, that I have predicted the Patriots will take at #38. Let’s double-dip on LSU Tigers. Killed the Draft Combine drills and then ran a 4.65 40 at his Pro Day.

Round Three

Jack Sawyer EDGE Ohio State

Tate Ratledge OG Georgia

Tre Harris WR Mississippi

Dylan Sampson RB Tennessee

Alfred Collins DT Texas

Ozzy Trapilo OT Boston College

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About Mark Morse

Merrimack Valley native and lifelong fan of the New England Patriots. My earliest memories of the Patriots were attending as a child with my dad, the off-season practice at Phillips Academy. I was at the Patriots game at Harvard Stadium in 1970 where Bob “Harpo” Gladieux was called out of the stands by the stadium announcer over the PA to play in the game. Analyzing the draft since ESPN first started to televise it in 1980 and former writer for the Lowell Sun Newspaper.

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Tags: Will Campbell