Apr 24, 2025; Green Bay, WI, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell with LSU Tigers offensive lineman Will Campbell after he is selected by the New England Patriots as the number four pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Patriots' Will Campbell Doesn't Hold Back on Mike Vrabel

Originally posted on New England Patriots on SI
By Matthew Schmidt | Last updated Apr 25, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The New England Patriots did what the vast majority of people expected them to do in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday night — they selected LSU Tigers tackle Will Campbell with the fourth overall pick.

Campbell is widely viewed as the best offensive lineman in the draft class, and with the Patriots desperately needing help in the trenches, selecting him made too much sense.

The 21-year-old is clearly excited to join New England, and while speaking to reporters via video call following being drafted, he didn't hold back on Pats head coach Mike Vrabel, saying that Vrabel is "all ball, no BS."

Scene-setter: Will Campbell meets the Patriots media over video conference and describes his playing style as “nasty.”

He says Mike Vrabel is the type of coach he wants to play for because he is “all ball, no BS.” pic.twitter.com/QQDxX9JY9d
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) April 25, 2025

That definitely describes Vrabel pretty well, as he is well known for being a hard-nosed coach who knows how to get the most out of his players. Just ask the Tennessee Titans, whom Vrabel coached for six years and let to three playoff appearances, a couple of AFC South division titles and an AFC Championship Game.

The Patriots badly needed to add some protection for quarterback Drake Maye, particularly at the left tackle position. New England did sign right tackle Morgan Moses as well as a couple of other intriguing offensive linemen in free agency, but the Pats obviously had to upgrade Maye's blind side.

There were some questions about Campbell heading into the draft, most notably his arm length, but in the end, he was clearly the best option for the Pats.

The Patriots were surely hoping to land one of Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter at No. 4, but they were both off the board by the time New England was on the clock.

We'll see if Campbell can help take the Pats' offense to the next level in 2025 and beyond.

This article first appeared on New England Patriots on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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