Mike Vrabel took the Patriots' Head Coaching job and a major role in personnel, in part, due to having a great young quarterback on hand in Drake Maye. That was the good news. The bad news was that not much else was in very good shape on the roster at all. In fact, it was considered by some to be the NFL's worst. Welcome back to Foxborough, Coach Vrabel.
Not surprisingly, Vrabel ferociously attacked the task of restructuring the Patriots' roster, just as he used to attack NFL quarterbacks. In stark contrast to the amateurish 2024 offseason, Vrabel pursued established NFL talent in free agency, drafted brilliantly, and signed several top-level undrafted free agents as well.
One of the Coach's best and most prominent offseason moves was in the draft. Possessing the fourth pick overall, he wasted no time in rectifying the team's greatest requirement, the left tackle position. He drafted the best tackle and left tackle in the draft, LSU's Will Campbell.
Will Campbell's performance will help determine how good the 2025 Patriots will be
The second most important position on an NFL team after the quarterback is the left tackle. The Pats had no NFL-proven LT on the roster. Since Vrabel was unable to fill it in free agency, his best option was to do so in the draft. He did so by drafting Campbell. How well he plays and if he rewards Vrabel's confidence will, in large part, determine the 2025 team's success.
Jordy McElroy of Patriots Wire has identified several "burning questions" for the 2025 Patriots. One key question is how Patriots' top draft pick Will Campbell will perform as a rookie.
"He should at the very least be better than what the Patriots had last year. There's no hope for success if Drake Maye is constantly eating grass throughout the season. It doesn't help matters that two of the first three games will come against four-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Maxx Crosby and former Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt. Campbell will need to hit the ground running with the blindside protection in training camp.
So far, he looks to be up for the challenge from the limited work he showed off in the spring practices."
McElroy hit the nail on the head in identifying that Maye's protection is paramount to the team's offensive success. It all starts with the offensive line, and that begins with the left tackle. McElroy seems to be "damning with faint praise" in saying Campbell will have to be better than the dreadful 2024 version. Who wouldn't be? And Campbell is already proving his mettle.
Will Campbell will set the tone for a greatly improved 2025 Patriots' offensive line
Will Campbell will be Drake Maye's best friend. The foolishness about his shorter arms and narrow shoulders notwithstanding, Campbell is a master technician at left tackle. He honed the skill of using his hands as tools to keep pass-rushers from the SEC (the best training ground for the NFL) at bay. He also excels at mirroring and sliding to wall off defensive edge players.
A couple of other attributes that have flown under the radar with the big, 6'6", 320-pound tackle are his aggressiveness and willingness to do whatever it takes to finish a play. Campbell always finishes, preferring to pancake his opponent over any other result.
In addition, unlike many offensive linemen who go through the motions, Campbell will undertake to dispense multiple blocks with ill intent on any given play, especially running plays. He may chip an on-rusher, and then it's onto the second level to flatten any poor linebacker or defensive back who unfortunately happens onto his path.
Mike Vrabel knows the NFL and its personnel as well as any NFL executive. He astutely brushed off media drivel about Campbell's lack of combine measurables as the silliness it was. Campbell's three years in the SEC playing left tackle made all the difference. Drake Maye and the entire Patriots offense will benefit when the bell rings in a couple of months against the Raiders, and Campbell excels against top NFL competition.