Will Campbell Perfect Draftee To Start Mike Vrabel, Patriots Era

FOXBORO, Mass. — Will Campbell put Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel on his backside one week before the 2025 NFL Draft.

“Yeah, I mean, I got him,” Campbell said on a video conference after he was drafted fourth overall by the New England Patriots. “I’m not going to lie; I got him on the ground.”

Doesn’t that sound like a Vrabel type of player?

Campbell showed with one purpose that day, Vrabel said, and it was to prove to the Patriots he was the best prospect for them. The LSU offensive tackle, who desired the Patriots during his 2024 campaign in Baton Rouge, cemented himself as the best player for New England during that session.

“We spent a lot of time, and we looked at a lot of other players and worked a lot of other players out,” Vrabel said. “He (Campbell) made a huge impact on us, and we’re excited about adding him.”

Campbell is exactly the kind of player (and person) Vrabel is looking to add at One Patriot Place.

Campbell, who started 38 games at left tackle in the SEC, is the perfect blend of tenacity and toughness while possessing a team-first mindset.

He was a culture-builder at LSU, a captain during both his sophomore and junior seasons. He’s quick to form bonds with teammates, it appears. Immediately after he was drafted by the Patriots, Campbell said he’s ready to “fight and die” to protect quarterback Drake Maye.

“This is a young player who cares deeply about the team, is a leader in that room,” Vrabel said. “We love his football character, his play demeanor, his play style, how coachable he is.”

The intangibles don’t stand along, though. The Patriots cannot accomplish what they want to just by employing Eagle scouts. Talent matters first and foremost, as Vrabel previously said, and Campbell is supremely talented. He was a first team All-American in 2024, a two-time All-SEC selection and he allowed just five sacks in 2,553 career snaps on the blindside.

Campbell was the best player available to the Patriots. He also just so happened to play the position New England needed most.

“I think that’s certainly the easiest way to look at it,” Vrabel said. “That’s how the board fell. This was a very, very easy pick for us.”

Questions about Campbell’s length were consistent during the pre-draft process and it’s caused differing opinions on whether Campbell will remain at left tackle or shift inside to guard. Vrabel isn’t ready to look too far down the line, but anticipates the 2025 first-rounder will compete at left tackle. Campbell’s athleticism and technique allowed him to stand up against the best defenders in college football, after all.

“He’ll compete to be the left tackle just like everybody else is going to compete for their spots,” Vrabel said.

“I think that what we’re focused on is where he’s going to be tomorrow and the next day and not what the misevaluation is,” Vrabel responded when asked about Campbell potentially moving inside. “We coveted this player. This was a very good football player. I think part of the draft is adding great pieces and great players to your roster, which is what we did.”

First and foremost, the Patriots need talented football players. But they need culture-builders, too.

Campbell checks both boxes.