Patriots First-Rounder Already Ahead of the Curve

Ahead of the 53-man roster deadline, the New England Patriots and head coach Mike Vrabel have already started making their first round of cuts.

It appears rookie offensive lineman Will Campbell will not be one of them. Campbell is an LSU alum who was known to be on of the Tigers best offensive lineman. As a result, the Patriots selected him as the No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. It's been reported ever since preseason begun that the 6'6", 319 pound offensive tackle has already begun to impress the coaching staff.

Since the day Campbell arrived in the spring, he has been the starting left tackle. Known for his aggressive playing style, his ability to finish run blocks down the middle has quickly stood out.

In fact, ESPN wrote on Friday that offensive line coach Doug Marrone said that Campbell's willingness to learn paired with his strong work ethic quickly stood out to him.

"Will is a young player that has a ton of respect for what is expected of him. I think he does a good job of gaining information from veteran players," Marrone said. "I think he's said this before: There are some things he'll go out and win on, and if he's not winning, he's learning. I think that's the big thing I see; I see a player who is continuously trying to learn."

New England Patriots Left Tackle, Offensive Tackle, Offensive Lineman Will Campbell — Jul 23, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots offensive tackle Will Campbell (66) and defensive end Keion White (99) work on a drill during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Campbell making a quick impression makes sense.

Will Campbell this preseason:

The only OT with an 80+ pass blocking and run blocking grade 👀 pic.twitter.com/S29F9KyS0d
— PFF (@PFF) August 18, 2025

Entering the New England franchise, he was coming off of a 2024 season in which he earned a Consensus All-America, First-Team All-America and First-Team All-SEC selections in addition to earning the SEC Jacobs Blocking Trophy.

In his NFL debut, Campbell played 14 snaps at left tackle against the Commanders and delivered several standout run blocks including pulling to the outside to spring Rhamondre Stevenson for a 7-yard gain. Additionally, he allowed no pressures or sacks in his eight pass-blocking snaps.

In Week 2 of the preseason at the Minnesota Vikings, Campbell again excelled as a run blocker and created a big hole for running back TreVeyon Henderson’s 11-yard conversion on third-and-10.

Ahead of the previously mentioned 53-man deadline, 13 Pats have already been released. Of them, two offensive linemen were included – Tyrese Robinson and Sidy Sow.

Given his performance and the praise he's received so far, Campbell is not likely to be released from the roster ahead of the deadline.

The preseason as a whole saw Campbell demonstrate rapid improvement and receive high praise for his effort and physicality. It's clear as day to see why the Patriots invested in him as the No. 4 overall pick, and his future with the franchise looks bright.

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