Patriots Rookie Offensive Linemen Soaking Up Knowledge

FOXBORO, MA. — Will Campbell was the guy at LSU. Now, he's leaning on his veteran New England Patriots teammates to help him navigate his first professional training camp.

"Whenever you’re a rookie, to go into an organization with a veteran who you can lean on who has played so much ball, has so much knowledge and can teach you so much," Campbell said Saturday. And me, Jared (Wilson), Marcus (Bryant), Jack (Conley), Mekhi (Butler), all us rookies are super fortunate to have a guy like Morgan (Moses), Big Mike (Onwenu), Garrett (Bradbury), guys that have played a lot more football than we have."

When the Patriots signed free agent offensive tackle Morgan Moses to a three-year, $24 million contract this past offseason, the initial thoughts around the move was that the team had their new right tackle. What's transpired since then is that Patriots might have found themselves a player and a coach -- both on and off the field.

“I ask him a lot. I’m like, ‘Man,’ even though, I asked him a day before, I asked him again, ‘How are you here 12 years?'" Campbell said. "I asked him what he does in recovery, when he goes home and stuff like that. He sleeps a lot. He has a red light sauna on him, which, I don’t have enough money for that right now, but hopefully, God willing, I can get up to that moment. But he’s a great teacher. He’s just a great guy.”

The group of drafted rookies, which includes Campbell (4th overall), Wilson (95th overall) and Bryant (220th overall) all have yet to suit up for a professional game. It's not something they've shied away from. Instead, they are open for all the coaching they can get.

On Saturday, Campbell continued to rep with the starting unit, while Wilson rotated in as one of the top backups. The Georgia draft pick switched in with Bradbury at center after a couple snaps, and did the same at left guard with former first-round pick Cole Strange.

“We ask each other questions all the time,” Wilson said. “Anytime I got a question, I just go to Garrett. Garrett and Cole are very open. There’s no tension between us or anything like that, because we’re teammates at the end of the day and we want to win.”

And it's not just those who heard their names called during the draft. The undrafted rookies -- Boston College's Conley and Arkansas State's Butler -- have each adapted to learning the New England system.

"(To) learn from the older players, they're really helping me be a better player on and off the field," Mehki Butler told Patriots on SI. "I'm grateful to be in this position and can't wait to grow as a man and player.

Butler's got an uphill climb to crack to the roster, compared to his rookie counterparts. He began his NFL journey as a tryout player, before earning a contract after the team's rookie minicamp. Butler is soaking it all up, from the offensive huddles and meeting rooms, to the fan interactions after each practice.

"It was amazing to see so many people in this community come out and watch practice," Butler said. "I enjoyed every second. I was able to sign autographs and take pictures with some great fans, definitely the best fanbase out there."

After every practice, Moses takes whatever offensive lineman shows up and runs through additoional drills with them. At first, it was Campbell. Then others started to sit in. On Saturday, it was second-year tackle Demontrey Jacobs.

"Anything that they can give us to help us take that next step is super awesome," Campbell said. "But Morgan, he has been really good.”