Over the last three months, the Patriots have been connected to a handful of players expected to be available while on the clock with the No. 4 pick. At the beginning of the offseason, all signs pointed to CB/WR Travis Hunter being the next New England Patriot, until his stock rose so high that it was inevitable he would be the second player taken, which is exactly what happened.
The same can be said about Penn State EDGE Abdul Carter, who became the next prospect expected to be the Patriots' pick, only for that to fall off in the days leading to the draft. That propelled LSU left tackle Will Campbell to the front of the line, immediately filling a major hole on offense.
Although taking an offensive lineman is never a fun first-round pick for nearly any team, the Patriots had no choice but to take the best player at the position for their most vulnerable group on the 2025 roster.
Despite the lack of initial excitement from fans, seeing how the following picks went and hearing Campbell's emotional reaction to joining the Patriots, it's hard not to be excited about him becoming a prime protector of Drake Maye for this season and beyond. Hearing what he had to say to the Patriots' media made it even easier to like the pick.
Will Campbell continues to convince Patriots fans to be on board with his selection in Round 1
After seeing how emotional he got upon realizing the Patriots drafted him to begin his career in the NFL, Campbell was immediately taken to speak with New England media for the first time and impressed even more with what he had to say.
Besides the inevitable pleasantries expected, Campbell revealed a shocking truth about how badly he wanted to join the Patriots, sharing he told Eliot Wolf six months ago that he was interested in being their next draft pick.
Will Campbell says he told Eliot Wolf he wanted to join the #Patriots when Wolf visited an LSU practice in October.
— Andrew Callahan (@_AndrewCallahan) April 25, 2025
"This is where I've wanted to be since the start."
If that doesn't get you onboard, then nothing will.
It's great to hear and see such a positive reaction to joining the Patriots, especially after the seasons they have had over the last five years, but that will (of course) not be enough to prove he was a great draft pick. How he performs on the field will count for everything, but this is at least a great start to his New England tenure.