Who is Will Campbell? Why Patriots made fantastic No. 4 pick

The New England Patriots finally got rising star quarterback Drake Maye some protection by drafting offensive tackle Will Campbell with the fourth overall pick in the National Football League draft.

After some early draft craziness with the Jacksonville Jaguars trading with the Cleveland Browns to acquire the No. 2 overall pick to select Travis Hunter, the New York Giants selected Abdul Carter. This left the Patriots with the perfect opportunity to draft Campbell from Louisiana State University.

Campbell had a great career at LSU, winning many awards, like First-Team All-SEC in 2024. There are some concerns with Campbell's fit at left tackle, but he'd still likely be a great left guard. Pats Pulpit's Bernd Buchmasser reported how Campbell will help stabilize New England's line.

"Campbell, 21, will help stabilize the left side of the Patriots’ offensive line," Buchmasser wrote. "While there are questions about his length and whether or not he is a better fit a tackle or guard at the next level, there is no denying his talent."

"A four-star recruit out of high school, Campbell was a mainstay along the Tigers’ offensive line from Day 1 and ended up starting all 38 games he appeared in during his college career. He received All-SEC recognition in each of his three seasons in Baton Rouge and in 2024 was named consensus All-American and won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy as the SEC’s best lineman. With Campbell headed to New England, the Patriots have filled the biggest need on their roster — if they view him as a tackle."

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Campbell will fit right in with the Patriots under new head coach Mike Vrabel. The Patriots have made many great additions to their roster this offseason, but drafting Campbell and fixing the offensive line is a great step forward.

More NFL: NFL Draft trades tracker 2025: Full details on every deal to move up, down in Rounds 1-3