Prior to a playoff run that would significantly alter the perception of the 2025 New England Patriots — their quarterback and left tackle in particular — Pro Football Focus quietly released some 2025 data that disappeared off the national radar faster than an Instagram story.
PFF ranked New England’s starting offensive line group of Will Campbell, Jared Wilson, Garrett Bradbury, Mike Onwenu, and Morgan Moses No. 11 overall, placing some emphasis on Campbell’s play as a rookie starter out of the gate.
“Perhaps no offensive line improved more year over year than New England’s. After finishing 31st in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency rating last season, the Patriots' offensive line tallied an 86.5 PFF pass-blocking efficiency rating this year, which ranked seventh in the NFL.
The unit gave up just 13 sacks after allowing 33 last season,” PFF’s Zoltán Buday wrote. “That had a lot to do with first-round pick Will Campbell. The LSU product gave up pressure on 6.3% of pass plays — the 12th-best rate among 32 qualifying left tackles.”
A month later, after the Patriots were handled cleanly in Super Bowl LX, the tide turned almost instantly. Drake Maye was suddenly the product of the NFL’s easiest schedule. Campbell was suddenly destined to be a guard.
The chatter on Campbell hardly let up after the Patriots traded up in the first round of April’s draft to select Caleb Lomu, who played left tackle for the Utah Utes. Respected NFL analysts, like the staff at Sharp Football, seem ready to write Campbell off following some rough games in the playoffs.
The Sharp Football staff ranked the Patriots’ new-look offensive line, with Wilson now at center, Alijah Vera-Tucker at left guard, and Lomu likely at swing tackle, 15th in football entering the 2026 season.
“Votes for the Patriots' offensive line ranged from 11th to 23rd. Both their postseason performance and that range might be explained by a variety of opinions on left tackle Will Campbell. New England’s rookie left tackle was steady during the regular season (5.8% pressure rate allowed) but exposed against better defenses in the playoffs (12.3% pressure rate allowed)."
The elephant in the room? Campbell wasn't healthy. He missed just four regular-season games and returned for the playoffs with what was confirmed as a torn MCL in his right knee. He was on the field and deserves criticism for his performance, but no good deed goes unpunished in the cutthroat world of the NFL.
The NFL world continues to miss the point on Will Campbell’s poor playoff performance
The Patriots’ regular-season schedule last year was undeniably favorable, but it did feature eight of the top 20 teams in total EPA (expected points added), per SumerSports. Campbell played against seven of those teams: the Browns, Saints, Bills, Falcons, Raiders, Bucs, and Steelers. He was charged with four sacks and 22 total pressures allowed, per PFF.
For a 21-year-old rookie, those are decent numbers against above-average competition. He posted clean sheets against Pittsburgh, Buffalo, New Orleans, and Tampa Bay.
Campbell definitely played poorly in the playoffs. The Houston game was especially brutal, with a couple of bad reps leading to strip-sacks. The wheels came off in the Super Bowl against Seattle with eight pressures allowed, though the Patriots’ entire offense could barely stay on the field until the fourth quarter.
If Campbell hadn’t missed only five weeks total due to a knee injury, it would be fair to sound the alarm in Foxboro. But Campbell showed an ability to sit down and anchor himself in pass protection throughout the regular season, and he popped at times as a run blocker. Both of those areas suffered after the knee injury.
It’s possible that the uptick in competition was the bigger factor, but Campbell gutting it out for his team and QB at less than 100 percent in the playoffs at least deserves a mention. He had a promising rookie season overall, and his motivation should be sky-high entering Year 2.
Add us as a preferred source on Google