Patriots veteran offers passionate defense of struggling rookie

The New England Patriots made Will Campbell their new starting left tackle when they selected him with the fourth overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft. 

Numerous stories have since detailed the struggles Campbell has endured from springtime workouts through handfuls of training-camp practices. Patriots pass-rusher Keion White has gone against Campbell during summer sessions, and White spoke with reporters on Monday about why he's optimistic about what the first-year pro will be later this year.

"The biggest thing for Will is his willingness to learn and ability to sometimes get beat but not hold your head down," White said about Campbell, per Mark Daniels of MassLive. "A lot of times when you come in as a rookie, you’re going to lose reps. ...When they face adversity, sometimes they shut down. That’s something that Will doesn’t do. He asks the questions. He says, 'OK, how can I not lose this rep?' And he learns, and he comes back better. That’s the best thing you can do as a rookie. There’s going to be learning curves, there’s going to be challenges, but are you willing to put the work in to actually get better?"

Analysts voiced concerns ahead of the draft regarding the fact that Campbell's less-than-desirable arm length for players at the position could prevent him from becoming an elite NFL left tackle. More recently, Chad Graff of The Athletic shared that Campbell's pass-blocking "has been shaky" during training camp. For an article updated on Monday, Karen Guregian of MassLive wrote that "Campbell hasn’t exactly alleviated anyone’s fears about being able to handle the position in the pros."

White seems to believe such takes are premature so early into Campbell's development. 

"The best way to learn how to not get ran through your face is by getting ran through your face," White added about what Campbell has thus far experienced. "If somebody can do that every play, then he’s going to learn how to not let that happen."

Guregian noted that the Patriots don't have "a suitable next-man up" if Campbell looks overmatched when New England opens the regular season with a matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sept. 7. For now, it sounds like first-year head coach Mike Vrabel will spend the rest of August hoping that Campbell can be at least a serviceable pass-blocker for quarterback Drake Maye when the Patriots have to deal with Maxx Crosby of the Raiders in Week 1.