Patriots
Dane Brugler still has Will Campbell listed as the best offensive tackle prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft class.
It remains to be seen who the Patriots will select with the No. 4 pick in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft.
But with both Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter potentially going off the board before New England lands on the clock, oddsmakers have tabbed LSU left tackle Will Campbell as the most likely pick for the Patriots in the first round.
He may not be as flashy as a pass-rusher like Carter or a skilled wideout/cornerback like Hunter, but Campbell would fill an immediate need on a Patriots offensive line that coughed up 52 sacks in 2024 — the fifth-most in the NFL, and the most sacks allowed in New England over one year since 1999.
Campbell’s resume is impressive, with the left tackle earning All-American honors in 2024 while holding off some of the best pass-rushing talent in the SEC.
A three-year starter at left tackle with the Tigers, Campbell allowed just four sacks and 49 pressures over his LSU career, per Pro Football Focus. In 2024, Campbell gave up just two sacks and 18 pressures.
But there are some red flags when it comes to Campbell’s frame — in particular, his arm length. During the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Campbell’s arm length measured 32 5/8 inches and his wingspan was recorded at 77 3/8 inches.
Both measurements are considered smaller than average for an NFL offensive tackle — raising concerns that Campbell — while talented — may not have the frame to hold up as an offensive tackle, and might be better suited for reps at guard in the NFL.
“For two years, nobody had any measurements on me and nobody said anything about my play,” Campbell said last month of those measurements impacting his draft stock. “So now, all of a sudden, arm length decides if I’m a good player or not? I think it’s B.S. … Any decision makers in the NFL, they don’t really care. It’s all people who don’t coach, and they don’t coach for a reason.”
While it should come as little surprise that Campbell brushed aside those concerns, NFL Draft expert Dane Brugler echoed a similar sentiment in his anticipated “The Beast” annual draft guide on The Athletic.
As part of his draft grading, Brugler rated Campbell as the No. 1 offensive tackle in this current class — as well as the No. 6 prospect overall.
“Campbell stays balanced in pass protection because of his weight distribution and controlled technique, although he can do a better job protecting versus inside/counter moves … He is rugged in the run game and offers the body fluidity and explosive power to torque and displace defenders,” Brugler wrote.
“Overall, Campbell’s mediocre arm length lessens his margin for error, but his athletic movements, core strength and competitive finish help him stay connected through the whistle, regardless of the block required.”
While Brugler added that some NFL teams have projected Campbell as an “interior blocker”, he noted that his skillset is reminiscent of a stronger version of Colts left tackle Bernhard Raimann.
There is still some risk when it comes to allocating a top-five pick on an offensive lineman like Campbell.
But longtime Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia stressed to NBC Sports Boston’s Phil Perry last month that arm length is not the lone determinant when it comes to gauging a prospect’s viability as an NFL tackle.
“Can you fix guys and get them to play better if they happen to have shorter arms? Yeah, you can,” Scarnecchia told Perry. “If they really take coaching and you get their hands where they’re supposed to be, and carry them where they’re supposed to be, and you don’t violate those principles, then they have a chance to do all right.
“I don’t think [short arms are] as problematic. It becomes problematic when they can’t do the things you want them to do to overcome that particular limitation.”
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