Why Patriots’ Will Campbell Had Heavy Heart On NFL Draft Night

A Patriots cap wasn’t the only meaningful accessory Will Campbell donned Thursday night.

Campbell, who was selected fourth overall by New England, wore a special pin on his suit jacket to honor a fallen former teammate. Kyren Lacy, who played alongside Campbell for three seasons at LSU, died by apparent suicide at 24 years old April 12.

Campbell opened up about Lacy as well as his tribute to the ex-Tigers wide receiver after he was drafted by the Patriots.

“I got the No. 2 pin on my lapel,” Campbell told reporters. “Kyren is a special human being. I feel for his family — they’ve been through a lot lately. He’s got such a great family. He was not only a good football player, he was such a good teammate, a good son, a good older brother and just a good dude, in general. It’s just terrible, everything that’s happened. I’m sending many prayers to his family. You know, he was going to get his name called this weekend. That’s why I wanted to wear this pin, (to) honor him. Even though his name won’t be called, he’s going to walk across that stage. He’s here with us in spirit and it was just an honor for me to be a part of his journey.”

Lacy led LSU with nine receiving touchdowns in 2024 to go along with 866 yards. Back in December, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. ranked the Louisiana native as the sixth-best wideout in the 2025 draft class.