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Patriots Make Will Campbell Decision During Rookie Minicamp

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matthew Sullivan | Last updated May 12, 2025 11:09 AM ET

After the New England Patriots selected offensive tackle Will Campbell with the fourth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, there were a lot of questions about where he'd line up along the offensive line.

Some daft experts believe Campbell has what it takes to be a starting left tackle in the NFL, while others think he is an offensive guard at best. During the Patriots' rookie minicamp, the Patriots showcased their decision on where Campbell will play in 2025.

On The Next Pats Podcast on YouTube, Phil A Perry reported that the Patriots had Campbell exclusively practicing at left tackle during rookie minicamp. Perry gave a succinct report on Campbell's practice reps in his first appearance with the Patriots.

"Where is he? Number 66? He's at left tackle, and that's the only place I saw him play today. So not a lot of Peter Skoronski comps to this point."

The move to keep Campbell at left tackle, where he played at in college with LSU, is the expected move. While the speculation over him moving to guard was real, largely in part due to his shorter arms, Campbell has been given the chance to play left tackle for the Patriots.

Perry's mention of Skoronski is the other scenario for Campbell. Skoronski was drafted by the Tennessee Titans and moved to guard in the NFL after being a tackle in college. That transition was thought to be in play for Campbell, but the Patriots decided against it, keeping Campbell at tackle.

With the Patriots' Vedarian Lowe allowing five sacks and 33 pressures, both ranked outside the top 100 among offensive linemen, a new left tackle was a huge priority for New England.

With LSU in 2024, Campbell allowed just two sacks and 18 pressures according to Pro Football Focus. His protection was rock-solid for LSU across his entire career, all of which was played at left tackle.

The Patriots keeping Campbell at left tackle is a good sign of trust in the rookie, as well as ignoring the noise surrounding Campbell's shorter arms. Campbell finding success at left tackle is imperative for the Patriots' success in 2025.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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