Former Georgia Football Player Speaks on Early Struggles for Patriots Will Campbell

New York Giants star offensive lineman Andrew Thomas speaks on the early struggles of New England Patriots rookie Will Campbell.

Dec 14, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants offensive tackle Andrew Thomas (78) enters the field prior to the first quarter against the Washington Commanders at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

New York Giants star offensive lineman Andrew Thomas speaks on the early struggles of New England Patriots rookie Will Campbell.

It's not uncommon for young players to go through some growing pains. It happens with freshmen at the collegiate level and it certainly happens with rookies in the NFL. It takes time to adjust, which makes sense, considering those players are getting aclimated to the new level of play they have entered.

A current example of this is rookie left tackle Will Campbell, who played for the LSU Tigers in college and just wrapped up his first season with the New England Patriots.

The Patriots selected Campbell with the 4th overall pick in last year's draft, and after the team's loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the Super this past weekend, Campbell's struggles was a hot topic on the internet.

Could Campbell end up being a bust for the Giants? Sure. Could it also just be a player going through some first year lumps? Absolutely.

One player who experienced something similar his first season in the league was former Georgia Bulldog Andrew Thomas. The New York Giants selected Thomas with the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft.

Andrew Thomas Speaks on Early Struggles for Patriots' Will Campbell

Nov 2, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots offensive tackle Will Campbell (66) walks out of the player's tunnel before a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Thomas had his fair share of struggles his rookie season, but he went on to become a pillar of the Giants' offense and made second team All-Pro in 2022. NFL reported Jordan Schultz reached out Thomas to discuss Campbell's early struggles, and how can overcome them and this is what the former Bulldog had to say:

“Playing this position with so much expectation isn’t easy as a rookie," Thomas said. "Give him time to adjust to the game and improve his technique. People labeled me a bust, but I just needed more time to develop. He is made of the right stuff. You can tell he loves the game. He was playing with a brutal injury. He will get better. Just have some patience.”

Regarding #Patriots LT Will Campbell, I reached out to #Giants All-Pro LT Andrew Thomas — who, just like Campbell, was a No. 4 pick and, just like Campbell, had his bumps as a rookie and dealt with criticism:

“Playing this position with so much expectation isn’t easy as a… pic.twitter.com/ZrWay1mMzD

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) February 10, 2026

Once the season concluded, Campbell revealed he was playing with a torn ligament in his knee that he suffered during the season. Certainly something that could impact someone's play.

Only time will tell with Campbell, but it should be noted that head coach Mike Vrabel said he has no plans of asking Campbell to switch positions. So if the Patriots are going to get better at protecting their franchise quarterback Drake Maye, a lot of that will hinge on the development of Campbell this coming offseason.