Bears' 2025 NFL Draft prospect Will Campbell dismisses concerns about arm length

LSU offensive lineman Will Campbell ranks high on the Chicago Bears' 2025 NFL Draft wish list, but should they be concerned about his arm length? Here's what Campbell had to say.

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When evaluating offensive tackle prospects for the NFL Draft, arm length plays a crucial role. It may seem trivial, but even a half-inch difference can shift a player’s projection from tackle to guard and impact his standing in the first-round rankings.

It's a reality that LSU offensive lineman and top Chicago Bears 2025 NFL Draft prospect Will Campbell is facing right now.

Campbell, a three-year starter at left tackle for the Tigers, boasts top-tier NFL film and projects as a plug-and-play starter at the next level. However, his shorter-than-ideal arm length has raised questions about where exactly he’ll line up.

Campbell's weigh-in at the 2025 NFL Combine fueled the debate about his position. He measured just under 6-foot-6 and 319 pounds, but his 32 5/8-inch arms fell short of the NFL's minimum 33-inch threshold for offensive tackles.

But the two-time first-team All-SEC standout isn’t worried about his measurements.

"I think I've shown everything that I need to, you know, show that I can play tackle at an elite level," Campbell said from the NFL Combine. "You can go look at my tape, there's not one play on there that when I get beat you say that's because he has shorter arms. ... Obviously I don't have stereotypical offensive tackle arms. I'm aware of that. People have to nitpick something. I've heard it all my career. When I was coming out of high school, the college coaches all said the same thing. I proved them wrong. It's something I anticipate doing again."

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Will Campbell's arm length might not matter for the Chicago Bears

The good news for Campbell is that any slide he has in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft will likely end at No. 10 overall.

The Bears don't need Campbell to play left tackle. Instead, he'd be an upgrade at three other positions for them: left guard, right guard, and perhaps center.

"If you told me I was going to start at right guard versus be a backup at left tackle, I'm going to tell you to put me at right guard," Campbell said. "... I'll play anything I need to, to get on the field, but I feel like I can play tackle ... [but] I've been working on everything. I'm a versatile player. I can play wherever I need to play and do whatever I've got to do to get on the field."

While projecting Campbell, a career offensive tackle, to the interior is a leap of faith, it’s still a smoother transition than expecting a guard to move outside to tackle.

Will Campbell might be the closest thing to a fail-proof first-round pick for the Bears. Ben Johnson could start him in a competition with Braxton Jones for the left tackle job, and if he struggles, no problem; move him inside to guard, where he’s likely to thrive.

But if Campbell thrives at left tackle, even with his short arms, then the Chicago Bears are big winners.

Regardless, Campbell is a lock to be selected in the first 10 picks of the 2025 Draft, even if the nine teams before the Bears aren't thrilled with his physical makeup.

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