Will Campbell’s arm length falls short of ideal size. What could it mean for Patriots’ potential to draft him?
Campbell's arm length was measured at 32 5/8 inches, which is among the shortest arm lengths for an offensive tackle prospect in recent years.
Football is a game of inches, even when it comes to scouting players.
Will Campbell has had to learn that the hard way through the NFL Draft process. The LSU offensive tackle’s arm length has been under much scrutiny ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft, with many evaluators wondering if his arms are long enough to play tackle at the professional level.
Some clarity over Campbell’s arm length was finally provided on Sunday, but it wasn’t good news for the LSU prospect. Campbell’s arms were measured at 32 5/8 inches before offensive linemen were set to work out at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday.
While Campbell’s arm length might be long to the average eye, his arms are considered quite short for a player hoping to play offensive tackle in the NFL. His arm length would be in the seventh percentile of all offensive tackles, meaning he’ll have one of the shortest arm lengths among offensive tackles in the league once he’s drafted, according to Pro Football Focus’ Trevor Sikkema. Most teams believe starting left tackles should have an arm length of at least 34 inches, ESPN’s Jeff Lewold recently noted. Campbell’s 9.5-inch hand size would also be in the 13th percentile of all offensive tackles.
Additionally, Campbell’s wingspan was measured at 77 3/8 inches. If Campbell plays offensive tackle in the NFL, that wingpan would be the shortest recorded for an offensive tackle at the combine since at least 1999, according to MockDraftable.
Going back to Campbell’s arm length, players with his arm size have a tough time finding high-level success in the NFL. There hasn’t been a Pro Bowl or an All-Pro offensive tackle with an arm length shorter than 33 inches over the last 25 years, via the data available from MockDraftable. Furthermore, eight of the 11 offensive tackles named an All-Pro since 2020 have had an arm length of at least 34 inches.
So, Campbell’s measurements are certainly far from ideal if the Patriots were hoping to select him with the No. 4 overall pick and play him at left tackle. However, those measurements might not deter them. Campbell has fans within the Patriots’ organization, with some members of the team viewing him as a left tackle, MassLive recently reported. It’s also believed that Campbell or Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham will be selected by New England with the fourth overall pick, the Boston Herald‘s Andrew Callahan and Doug Kyed reported Sunday. Campbell has been a popular pick for the Patriots in the majority of mock drafts to this point.
Mike Vrabel also hasn’t been scared by short arm length in the past. Ahead of his final season with the Titans, Tennessee selected Northwestern offensive tackle Peter Skoronski with the 11th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Skoronksi’s 32 1/4-inch arm length is the shortest recorded arm length for an offensive tackle taken in the first round since at least 1999, per MockDraftable.
However, it should be noted that Skoronski has yet to play offensive tackle for the Titans. He played left guard during Vrabel’s final season with the team in 2023 before moving to right guard in 2024. Vrabel seemed to imply that he planned to play Skoronski at offensive tackle at some point, though, shortly after the team drafted him.
It’s possible the Patriots could take the same approach with Campbell if they select him with their first-round pick. Campbell’s arm length (23rd percentile) and hand size (22nd percentile) still rank relatively low compared to other guards. But players with a similar arm length or shorter have found success playing guard in recent years, such as Joe Thuney, Alijah Vera-Tucker, and David DeCastro.
The Patriots could also play Campbell at right tackle. A few top-picked offensive tackles in recent years have played on the right side in their rookie season, such as Joe Alt, Penei Sewell, and Paris Johnson Jr. New England also played Sebastian Vollmer at right tackle for much of his career after selecting him in the second round in the 2009 NFL Draft, even though his arm length was also shorter than the ideal size at 33 1/4 inches.
If the Patriots select Campbell, they’ll be getting a player who was one of the top offensive linemen in college football over the last three years. A three-year starter at left tackle, Campbell allowed just four sacks and 49 pressures over his career with the Tigers, per Pro Football Focus. This past season, he gave up just two sacks and 18 pressures as he was named a consensus All-American and won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy.
That’s why Campbell told reporters on Saturday that teams shouldn’t be scared to draft him due to his arm length.
“I think I’ve shown everything that I need to, you know, show that I can play tackle at an elite level,” Campbell said. “You can go look at my tape, there’s not one play on there that when I get beat you say that’s because he has shorter arms.”
He is willing to move off left tackle, though.
“If you told me I was going to start at right guard versus be a backup at left tackle, I’m going to tell you to put me at right guard,” Campbell said. “… I’ll play anything I need to, to get on the field, but I feel like I can play tackle … [but] I’ve been working on everything. I’m a versatile player, I can play wherever I need to play and do whatever I’ve got to do to get on the field.”
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