Instant NFL Draft Reaction: Patriots Take Layup With Will Campbell

If you've been exposed to any coverage of the 2025 NFL Draft as a New England Patriots fan then you probably know two things for sure. One, LSU Tigers left tackle Will Campbell was always the likely pick at four. And two, he has short arms.

Campbell is a pick that shocked few and disappointed more. Despite a prolific college career at left tackle for the Tigers, most of the dialogue around Campbell's abilities has centered around his arm length, or lack thereof. At the combine, his arms measured at 32 5/8 inches — just over an inch below the ideal for a left tackle.

Unfortunately, there is some merit to this discourse. Technically speaking, shorter arms make it more difficult for tackles to win leverage and handle outside rushers. It is, therefore, a good thing that Campbell consistently excelled at exactly those two facets of pass protection.

While the tape measure might say 32 5/8, Campbell's film tells a completely discrete story. The tackle's footwork was consistently fluid and agile. His mechanics remain robust against both power and speed, as well as during rushers' transitions between the two. The speed, accuracy and power of Campbell's punches were consistently sharp and masked almost any instance of T. rex arms.

In fact, watching Campbell's film, his style of play feels almost deliberately crafted to cover up this one "flaw." If you were to think of exactly the traits needed for a tackle to compensate — precise feet, strong core, powerful hands, relentless mentality, cerebral pre-snap analysis — you would quite literally be describing Campbell's game to a tee.

It's no wonder, then, that over the course of 1049 pass-blocking snaps in the last two seasons, Campbell only allowed two sacks and 23 hurries.

While Campbell's game still has some minor holes, such as limited lower half flexibility, occasionally high pad level, and false starts, he is the epitome of an intelligent, mean and physical stalwart in the trenches — exactly the kind of player you would want protecting your young star quarterback.

Fit With the Patriots

In full transparency, drafting offensive linemen is "boring". They will never match the electricity of an early-round wide receiver or quarterback. But boring doesn't mean bad. Campbell is very clearly an elite-caliber offensive lineman who has shown immense production at left tackle against numerous NFL-caliber prospects.

While arm length can certainly be considered a hurdle, Campbell has demonstrated a toolbox that makes up for any deficiency caused by his measurables. At the very least, he will get multiple game-speed opportunities to explore whether his skills as a left tackle translate to an NFL level. Even in the worst-case scenario, if he has to make the transition to guard, he would immediately be an elite prospect at the position.

In either scenario, Campbell has the skillset to remain a contributor in Foxboro for years to come.

While some may feel that drafting a "guard" at four overall is too high, it's worth keeping the big picture in mind. New England struck gold with quarterback Drake Maye. At the end of the day, a young franchise quarterback will benefit most from an offensive line that gives him time to throw. The Indianapolis Colts have likely never regretted drafting guard Quentin Nelson with the sixth overall pick.

Simply stated, for the Patriots to find success, they need to prioritize building around Maye. Starting off by giving him the best offensive lineman in the draft is exactly the right first step on the long road back to title contention.

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