Will Campbell has yet to play a down in a Patriots' uniform, but he is quickly drawing praise from one of the top offensive line coaches of all time. Dante Scarnecchia, a fixture of New England's 21st-century dynasty, believes the Patriots have secured their left tackle of the future with the fourth overall pick.
Not only that, but one of the pre-draft concerns surrounding Campbell - his arm length - doesn't seem to be an issue, Scarnecchia told MassLive recently.
"You see the qualities … Look, no one has questioned his athleticism and his skillset. No one has because there’s nothing to question," Scarnecchia told MassLive's Karen Guregian.
The Patriots had an A+ draft, and the selection of Campbell to protect quarterback Drake Maye's blindside is a big part of that. Scarnecchia also touched on the fact that Campbell played in arguably college football's toughest conference in the SEC.
It looks like the Patriots made the right choice to draft Will Campbell even more
SEC defenses have a reputation for being difficult to score on, but Campbell was one of the league's best tackles, starting 38 consecutive games and being named an All-American on two occasions. It's clear that Mike Vrabel knew what he was doing when he selected Campbell fourth overall.
Arm length is not a trait that defines a football player. Case in point? Micah Parsons, whose arms measure at about 31 and a half minutes, but is one of the game's most feared pass rushers.
It remains to be seen what Campbell's career with the Patriots will look like, but New England would not have taken an offensive lineman with the fourth overall pick. Vrabel believes the game is won and lost in the trenches, and rightfully ignored the arm length noise upon selecting Campbell.
Scarnecchia is revered as arguably one of the best offensive line coaches in the NFL's history, so Campbell's earning that kind of respect before he's even stepped on the field is quite the compliment and good news for the Patriots.