Myles Garrett’s postgame comments reveal what makes Will Campbell tough to face

The New England Patriots continued their winning streak with a 32–13 victory over the Cleveland Browns, but one of the game’s biggest storylines came from the battle in the trenches.

New England selected Campbell with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, a player Cleveland nearly took before trading down to No. 5.

Despite Myles Garrett recording five sacks and six total tackles, the Browns star left the game speaking highly of Patriots rookie left tackle Will Campbell.

“He’s strong,” Garrett said. “You want to set the tempo and the pace of the game with power. He was able to be pretty firm in his stance and keep me from knocking him back, and just trying to hit him with different looks, try to keep him off guard.”

Browns DE Myles Garrett on Patriots LT Will Campbell: "He’s strong. You want to set the tempo and the pace of the game with power. He was able to be pretty firm in his stance and keep me from knocking him back, and just trying to hit him with different looks, try to keep him off…

That move allowed the Patriots to secure what already looks like their long-term blindside protector for quarterback Drake Maye.

Even though Garrett overwhelmed him at times, Campbell’s ability to stay composed against the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year was noteworthy for a first-year lineman.

More: Insider believes Kevin Stefanski would trade Shedeur Sanders amid Browns QB shuffle

Will Campbell holds his own despite tough lesson from Myles Garrett

Campbell’s introduction to Garrett was a humbling experience. The rookie admitted afterward that the Browns edge rusher “beat me a few times,” adding,

“He gets paid a lot of money, and he got me a couple times. I had to keep coming back and keep fighting, which is why we got the win,” per Patriots.com writer Evan Lazar.

Garrett’s dominance was historic. He became only the fourth player in NFL history to lose a game despite tallying five or more sacks, finishing with eight total pressures, five sacks, and a forced fumble. Three of those sacks and a strip sack came against Campbell in 13 pass-rush snaps.

Even with that, Campbell protected cleanly against every other Browns defender across 20 pass-blocking snaps. His resilience helped New England rally in the second half, with Maye engineering three touchdown drives after halftime.

The Patriots view Sunday’s performance as an essential learning experience for the 21-year-old. Few defenders in the league pose the same challenge as Garrett, whose power, speed, and technique tested every part of Campbell’s game.

For New England, that trial by fire might accelerate the growth of its future cornerstone on the offensive line.

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