logo
Taking a closer look at LSU offensive lineman Will Campbell and whether he'd be a good fit for the Patriots

Taking a closer look at LSU offensive lineman Will Campbell and whether he'd be a good fit for the Patriots

Boston Globe15-04-2025
Why he wouldn't:
Campbell's arm length has been one of the most dominant story lines of the pre-draft process. With the understanding the preferred minimum is usually 33 inches, he measured at 32⅝ at the combine. (He was measured at 33 inches at LSU's Pro Day last month.) If his arm length is an issue, he might be forced to move inside to guard.
Get Starting Point
A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday.
Enter Email
Sign Up
Alternatives:
There are a handful of offensive tackles who are considered top-100 prospects who could be had later in the draft if the Patriots decide to pass on Campbell. Kelvin Banks (Texas), Josh Simmons (Ohio State), and Josh Conerly (Oregon) are likely to go later in the first round or near the top of the second round. Missouri right tackle Armand Membou has generated his share of pre-draft buzz, and is a Day 1 candidate, as well.
Advertisement
What they're saying:
'I always look at it as, do you play that way or do you play longer? Do you play to the max of what you have, or do you play under what you have? I've had guys in the past that have played for me that have 33- [or] 34-[inch arms] and haven't played like that. I've had some guys that had some shorter arms and played like they had longer arms. I just think it's something that you bring up that you just want to make sure that you evaluate and see if it affects the player in a positive way or a negative way.'
— Patriots offensive line coach Doug Marrone
One more thing:
Logan Mankins and Joe Thuney played tackle in college (and both didn't have the requisite 33-inch arm length, according to former Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia), but ended up moving inside and flourishing at the next level.
Related
:
The skinny:
Throughout the pre-draft process, the New England braintrust has seemed to hint that arm length isn't a deal-breaker for them at tackle, which would seem to portend a choice of Campbell if they stay at No. 4.
Campbell indicated at the combine in February he'd be open to playing guard or tackle. It's all about where he can make the biggest impact.
'A lot of teams that I've talked to, they see me as a tackle,' he said. 'But I feel like I've told all the teams that I feel like I put the stuff on tape to show that I can play tackle at a very high level. But I'm willing to do whatever I can to help the team win. If you told me I was going to start at right guard versus being a [backup] left tackle, I'm going to tell you to put me at right guard.'
Advertisement
In the end, if Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter or Colorado Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter are there when the Patriots are on the clock, they grab one of those players and don't look back. But if both are gone and New England can't trade down, then Campbell could very well be the guy for the Patriots.
Christopher Price can be reached at
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Eagles' training camp: Philadelphia's secret weapon gets running back reps on offense
Eagles' training camp: Philadelphia's secret weapon gets running back reps on offense

USA Today

time5 hours ago

  • USA Today

Eagles' training camp: Philadelphia's secret weapon gets running back reps on offense

Eagles' converted fullback Ben VanSumeren gets running back carries in training camp Eagles linebacker-turned-fullback Ben VanSumeren may see an expanded role on offense in 2025. As the Eagles kicked off training camp on Wednesday, VanSumeren got reps as a running back with the third-team offense. VanSumeren, now donning jersey No. 43, saw 22 snaps at fullback last year before suffering a season-ending injury during a Friday practice. The Eagles were excited to get him involved in more packages and will afford him that opportunity this summer. 'They told me that the last time that we had an All-Pro fullback here was Leonard Weaver, and he wore [No.] 43,' VanSumeren told Inside The Birds. 'So, they wanted me to wear 43.' VanSumeren posted freak-athlete numbers at Michigan State's Pro Day before entering the league, clocking between 4.36 and 4.40 in the 40-yard dash and putting up a 42.5-inch vertical leap. General Manager Howie Roseman, who re-signed VanSumeren to a one-year deal in March, believes those attributes are too valuable to overlook. 'I told them that I want to help the team, first off,' VanSumeren said. 'That's No. 1. And I want to be considered the best at something. And I'm gonna leave it in the hands of guys like Howie [Roseman] and guys in the front office who evaluate talent, they watch me play every, single day. I said, 'I'm gonna do whatever you guys ask, just know I want to be at the top of the game and I want to be considered the very best at what I do. So, you guys tell me where you see that at.' And they see me as being able to do that at fullback.'

It's not Drake Maye's fault Patriots are where they are (but it's the thought that counts)
It's not Drake Maye's fault Patriots are where they are (but it's the thought that counts)

New York Times

time6 hours ago

  • New York Times

It's not Drake Maye's fault Patriots are where they are (but it's the thought that counts)

FOXBORO, Mass. — Drake Maye's Wednesday media availability had been lumbering along for about six minutes, with the second-year quarterback of the New England Patriots answering the usual second-rate questions. This is absolutely no knock on the people who cover the Patriots for a living. It's just that it's hard to ask deep, probing questions at the end of the first practice session of training camp, especially with horns blaring, fans cheering and the noonish sun beating down on everyone's necks. It's not unlike asking the veteran big-league pitcher about his first Grapefruit League appearance and being told, 'Just getting my work in.' Advertisement Heck, what could be more lame than bringing up Maye's first completion to newly minted Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs and then asking, 'What was that like???' It was I who asked that beauty. But it was after the media availability was over that Maye swung open the front door to his innermost football feelings and invited everyone to take a peek. All this happened just after Patriots vice president of media relations Stacey James had already said, 'Last question,' and after that last question had already been answered and Maye was now poised to exit, stage right. Enter Karen Guregian of MassLive, who started covering the Patriots in 1993 for the Boston Herald. How long ago was that? Drew Bledsoe and Bill Parcells were new in town and James Busch Orthwein owned the team. And the team played in a stadium with aluminum benches. That's how long ago. Maye had already made a couple of remarks attesting to his level of excitement for the 2025 Patriots, but without offering any specifics. But now, in the bonus round, he was being asked for those specifics. 'What excites me most?' Maye asked. 'I think you've got guys around here that are tired of losing around here, and guys that want to win. I think that's what excites me most. Guys want to win around here. I think the past two or three years around here and the past year for me, I can only speak for myself, but I think there's guys around here that are tired of losing and want to win.' He wasn't chuckling when he answered the question. Nor did he 'Shout It Out,' as though taking on the role of the cleaning product that's said to be tough on stains. But Maye was definitely pensive, as though this was something that had been on his mind for a while. Before continuing, it's important to restate that this is only Maye's second season with the Patriots. That the Patriots are where they are is not his fault. Yes, he was on the scene in 2024 when the Patriots, with one-and-done Jerod Mayo running the shop, went 4-13. Maye appeared in 13 games in 2024, making 12 starts. But he won only one game in which he quarterbacked the Patriots the entire game. If you want to give Maye a big slice of blame pie for 2024, conveniently leaving out that he was a rookie playing for a team with a coaching staff that was about to be dismantled, go right ahead. Advertisement But Maye wasn't around in 2023, when the Patriots went 4-13 in Bill Belichick's last season as head coach. It was also the season in which the Mac Jones era at quarterback came to an inglorious end. If Maye saw any of that Patriots season, it was probably on a flat screen from his apartment at UNC while eating a slice or two from Italian Pizzeria III. Nor was Maye on the New England scene in 2022, when the Patriots went 8-9, or in 2021 when they went 10-7 but were handed a 47-17 beating by the Buffalo Bills in the wild-card round. And so on. And yet here's Maye, talking about guys who are 'tired of losing around here.' Talking about guys 'that want to win,' talking about 'the past two or three years around here.' Only it certainly didn't sound like Maye was speaking for himself. If you're a Patriots fan looking for signs that this team has an interest in getting back into the winning business, Maye's comments were the biggest news to come out of the first day of training camp. Well, OK, perhaps you're the type who limits optimism to what can be gleaned from X's and O's, in which case Maye's first pass attempt to Stefon Diggs was a much bigger deal. Diggs ran a crossing route and made the catch a step ahead of his defender. Boilerplate stuff, but it was 'Maye to Diggs' for the first time, and that's what the crowd was looking for on Day 1. The Maye completion to Diggs was real football stuff. As for that close-of-business quote, it's not something you're likely to take into account while mulling the 8.5 over/under win total that's been assigned to the Patriots. But there was nothing performative or fake about what Maye said. If it were, he'd have found a way to weave it into the discussion earlier in the session. It's not just that Maye is ready for his close-up as the leader of the 2025 New England Patriots. By talking about the failures of the recent past, and doing so with a sort of melancholy for those who came before him, it's as though he spent the summer reading Bob Hyldburg's 'Total Patriots.' Maye's job is to make the Patriots a better team. It sounds like he also wants to make them a better organization.

5 standout players in Day 1 of Patriots training camp
5 standout players in Day 1 of Patriots training camp

USA Today

time6 hours ago

  • USA Today

5 standout players in Day 1 of Patriots training camp

The New England Patriots stepped on the field for their first training camp practice of the summer on Wednesday. There were a couple of competitive team periods, but this was a lighter practice with the team working in helmets and shorts. Drills were the primary focus in this setting. There are high expectations for the Patriots this year, despite the team finishing last season with a 4-13 record. Coach Mike Vrabel brought in a more experienced coaching staff and made significant upgrades on offense and defense throughout the offseason. This was the first opportunity for fans to see the new-look Patriots in person, and it wasn't a practice that disappointed. Multiple players on the roster boosted their stock a little higher after Day 1 of training camp. Here are the five standout players from the first practice: DL Keion White Patriots edge rusher Keion White has plenty of untapped potential as a defensive player. Perhaps this will be his breakout year with many of the improvements along the defensive front. He flashed his disruptive abilities at Wednesday's practice by plowing through rookie left tackle Will Campbell on a play for a would-be sack on Drake Maye. QB Drake Maye Drake Maye looked sharp during the 11-on-11 period at Wednesday's practice, completing 8-of-9 of his passes against the defense. It was promising to see him link up with newcomers Stefon Diggs and Kyle Williams a couple of times in practice. The growing chemistry he develops with his new receiving weapons could be key in the offense finding a pulse for the first time in three years. CB DJ James DJ James getting the first interception at training camp wasn't on anyone's Bingo card. The second-year cornerback undercut a poorly thrown ball by veteran quarterback Josh Dobbs and came up with the takeaway. It was a heads-up play that resulted in the only forced turnover for the defense in the practice. WR Kyle Williams Patriots rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams worked in with the first-team offense and made a couple of nice grabs during practice. One play in particular was a comeback route with All-Pro cornerback Christian Gonzalez in coverage. It was an impressive showing for a young player who will likely see many more balls thrown in his direction throughout training camp. WR Stefon Diggs It didn't take long for Stefon Diggs and Drake Maye to get on the same page. Maye found the four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver on a short crosser for his first completion in training camp. Diggs came away with two receptions during the practice. It was impressive that he was even on the field in the first place after tearing his ACL last October with the Houston Texans. Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store