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3 reasons why Patriots drafted tackle Will Campbell
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- 3 reasons why Patriots drafted tackle Will Campbell
FOXBOROUGH – Drake Maye 's world is about to get better.
On Thursday night, the Patriots drafted left tackle Will Campbell with the fourth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft . This marks Mike Vrabel's first selection as the Patriots head coach – and it's a vital piece for his team moving forward.
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Campbell, a standout left tackle at LSU , entered this draft as the best offensive lineman. Now, he heads to a team where their biggest need is at left tackle. The hope is that Campbell will fill a void on the left side of the Patriots offensive line. Last year, the team didn't have stable tackle play.
In free agency, the Patriots signed veteran right tackle Morgan Moses to replace last year's starter, Demontrey Jacobs . With the No. 4 pick in the draft, Vrabel and Eliot Wolf selected Campbell, who will likely replace last year's starter, Vederian Lowe .
At 6-foot-6, 319 pounds, Campbell is an elite athlete with plus-character traits. There are questions on whether he'll stick at tackle due to his arm length (33 inches) and wingspan (77 ¼ inches). His background, however, suggests the Patriots will start Campbell at the position he's always played.
Here are three reasons why the Patriots drafted Campbell with the fourth pick in the draft:
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Protecting Drake Maye is the priority
If Drake Maye is going to live up to his potential then the Patriots must have better pass protection. That's why Campbell was brought in.
The Patriots tackle play hasn't been stable since the 2021 season. That year, the team allowed 28 total sacks. In 2022, the Patriots moved Isaiah Wynn to right tackle and Trent Brown to left tackle. The plan was a disaster. Brown allowed a career-high eight sacks that season. The Patriots allowed 41 sacks that season.
In 2023, the Patriots struggled with injuries to both tackle spots. The team started the likes of Brown, Calvin Anderson , Conor McDermott , and Lowe. The Patriots allowed 48 sacks.
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Last year, it got worse. The Patriots allowed 52 sacks. That was the most since 1999 and the sixth-most in Patriots history. Lowe was ranked 69 out of 81 tackles by Pro Football Focus. Jacobs was ranked last at No. 81.
After missing out on top tackle free-agent targets, the Patriots came into this draft needing a left tackle. They landed the best one.
Campbell has been playing tackle since his freshman year of high school. He moved to left tackle as a sophomore. He developed into one of the best tackle recruits in the nation and started for LSU as a true freshman. He earned Second Team All-SEC honors that year. Campbell has earned First Team honors the last two seasons.
Campbell has been a Patriots target since last fall
The Patriots biggest problem on offense was obvious last season.
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That offseason saw the team sign veteran tackle Chuks Okorafor, who left the team after one game and draft right tackle Caedance Wallace, who was injured for most of his rookie season. The moves didn't pan out. The Patriots tackle play was some of the worst in the NFL.
According to a source, members of the Patriots organization have had their eyes on Campbell dating back to last fall. His play at LSU was so dominant at times that the left tackle was seen as a logical fit for the Patriots. Multiple sources told MassLive that Campbell is viewed as an instant starter at left and a "really good player."
After Jerod Mayo was fired, it remained to be seen if Vrabel felt the same way.
In the end, Campbell's play did all the talking. Last year, he was a consensus All-American and earned First Team All-SEC honors. He also won the SEC's Jacobs Blocking Trophy, given to the conference's best offensive lineman.
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Will Cambell is a perfect character fit
Vrabel has been very upfront with the type of player he wants in his locker room. The new coach wants leaders on and off the field. He wants to change the culture inside the Patriots locker room. He wants players who will make an impact in the community.
Last year, the Patriots lacked leadership. That was seen as multiple players lacked accountability as the season went on. In free agency, the Patriots added multiple veterans who are former captains.
In Campbell, Vrabel brings in a culture-changing prospect.
He was voted a team captain as a true sophomore at LSU. He was a captain again last season as a junior. Last summer, LSU coach Brian Kelly said of Campbell, "When he speaks people really listen."
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Off the field, Campbell has held multiple events to raise money for the Tarver Braddock Foundation . The organization was created to honor his cousin, Tarver, who died in a campfire accident at the age of 16.
Just last week , in Baton Rouge, Campbell, partnered with the Miracle Children's Foundation and Raising Canes and went to the Our Lady of the Lake Children's Hospital. He met with kids battling cancer and gifted them new iPads.
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Read the original article on MassLive .
