The Patriots took a major step toward fortifying the trenches by selecting LSU OT Will Campbell with the fourth-overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
If you polled Patriots fans to ask them what was the biggest remaining need on the roster entering the draft, most would say securing a blindside protector for second-year QB Drake Maye. Over the last half-decade, New England has gone year-to-year at left tackle without a permanent solution at a premium position on the offensive line. Last season, the Patriots offensive line ranked last in pass-blocking win rate (51%) and second-to-last in run-blocking win rate (67%). This offseason, head coach Mike Vrabel and personnel chief Eliot Wolf have added three new starters to the O-Line: RT Morgan Moses, C Garrett Bradbury, and now Campbell.
Campbell was a three-year starter at left tackle and two-time team captain at an SEC powerhouse. He posted an elite 9.91 relative athletic score at the scouting combine, ranking 15th out of 1,507 tackles since 1987. He possesses elite foot speed and balance to mirror rushers on an island. However, he measured in with 32 5/8-33 inch arms, depending on which measurement you trust. There are examples of OTs around the 33-inch threshold who have succeeded. But his arm length and wingspan (77 3/8″) raised pre-draft questions about him sticking at left tackle in the pros.
Arm length is important for tackles because it provides margin for error. By having longer arms, blockers can put more space between themselves and pass-rushers, allowing them more time to react to the rushers’ movements, while widening the path around the edge and keeping them out of their chest on bull rushes. Wingspan, on the other hand, measures how wide a blocker’s body is. In theory, the wider the body, the harder it is to get around that particular lineman.
Ultimately, the most important thing is tape. On tape, Campbell makes up for his lack of length by winning with excellent athleticism, technique, and core strength to recover and move bodies on the line of scrimmage. Campbell projects as a day-one starter at left tackle, while his exceptional football character also makes him future captain material by all accounts.
Below, we’ll break down the film to show you the type of football player the Patriots are getting after selecting Campbell with the fourth-overall pick in the first round on Thursday night.
Before we get too deep into the arm length/wingspan discussion, there’s some context about Campbell’s film that separates his pass-blocking reps from others in this year’s draft class.
At LSU, Campbell was in a pass-first offense that had him pass-blocking on NFL-style drop-backs. The Tigers offensive lineman’s production wasn’t fluffed up by wonky alignments or a high volume of quick throws and screens. Plus, Campbell faced a slew of pro-caliber pass rushers over the last three seasons going through the SEC gauntlet, including projected top-100 picks Shemar Stewart, Nic Scourton, and Kyle Kennard.
According to Pro Football Focus, Campbell ranks first among the top tackles in this year’s class in true pass sets with 229 last season. True pass sets remove quick throws, screens, and play-action/RPOs. In other words, real offensive line play that translates to the league. Furthermore, Campbell allowed zero sacks and just 12 total pressures on those 229 reps.
