Patriots reporter, scout differ on what team should do with No. 4 pick

Multiple national reporters and analysts believe the New England Patriots should and will select LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell over Missouri offensive tackle Armand Membou with the fourth overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, even though Campbell's arm length has some wondering what he will and won't be at the highest level. 

For an article published on Thursday, Patriots insider Chad Graff of The Athletic shared his thoughts on the Campbell-versus-Membou debate.

"I’d pick Armand Membou and bank on his athleticism helping him make the transition to left tackle," Graff directly said. "The most boiled-down description I heard contrasting Membou and Campbell is this: Campbell is safe. High floor. He’s going to be good, but he might be a guard. Membou has the higher ceiling. With his athleticism and longer arms, he has a chance to be a top-10 left tackle in the league. Given how bad the Patriots need upside and high-end talent, I’m taking Membou."

Per Chris Mason of MassLive, NFL Network draft guru Daniel Jeremiah said during a recent edition of "The Ryen Russillo Podcast" that he feels Campbell will "at worst" be an eight-to-10-year starter even if the prospect has to make the switch to guard at some point. In his final prospect rankings published on Thursday, ESPN's Field Yates listed Campbell as the top tackle and the fifth-best player in this year's draft class. 

Such assessments don't have Graff sold on Campbell quite yet. 

"If Campbell comes into the NFL and succeeds as a left tackle," Graff added, "he’ll be a total outlier. No one in at least 15 years has succeeded at that position with a wingspan as short as his (77 3/8 inches). And very few have succeeded with arms as short as his (33 inches). ...No one with Campbell’s measurements (at least since NFL Scouting Combine data became readily available 15 years ago) has excelled at left tackle in the NFL."

Despite all of that, an NFC South area scout believes the Patriots should grab Campbell at No. 4. 

"He's a high-floor prospect," the scout said about Campbell for the latest mock draft produced by ESPN's Matt Miller. "I trust his feet and hand use to succeed at tackle, but if the length ever becomes that problematic, we think he's got All-Pro potential as a guard." 

As of Thursday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook listed Campbell as the betting favorite at -225 odds to be the draft's fourth pick. Such information indicates that noteworthy members of the football community believe Penn State pass-rusher Abdul Carter and Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter will be off the board when the Patriots are called to spend the draft's fourth selection.