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Patriots rookie Will Campbell is earning high grades for his play so far this preseason
"Weāre excited about what he can do. (His) play style is phenomenal.ā
There is going to be plenty of pressure on Patriots rookie Will Campbell this season as New England’s projected starting left tackle.
Even with Campbell’s lofty draft status (No. 4 overall in the 2025 Draft), it’s to be expected for the former LSU standout to endure plenty of growing pains this season as he tries to protect Drake Maye’s blind side.
But even with the several ups and downs that Campbell has already gone through during training camp when it comes to holding off elite pass-rushing talent, the rookie’s performances so far during preseason action are drawing high marks from outside the organization.
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Despite one breakdown with fellow rookie Jared Wilson that led to a Maye strip-sack in New England’s preseason opener against Washington, Campbell still showcased his potential in that 48-18 win by mauling Commanders players during rushing plays — clearing lanes for the likes of TreVeyon Henderson and Maye.
Campbell was at it again during Saturday’s 20-12 win over the Vikings, once again helping to clear the way for another Henderson score while also holding his own in pass protection.
His efforts have been noted by Pro Football Focus, with the sports analytics company noting that Campbell is the only offensive tackle to receive a grade of 80 or higher in both pass (80.1) and run blocking (87.6) so far during preseason action.
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Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald also noted on X that Campbell’s overall 86.2 grade on PFF ranks fourth among all offensive tackles during preseason play.
Preseason grades do need to be taken with a grain of salt, as only so much can be gleaned from small sample sizes and matchups against second or third-team players in August.
Still, Campbell has held up better than other top offensive-tackle prospects during preseason action, with Jets rookie Armand Membou (No. 7 overall) last among qualified offensive tackle rookies with a 38.1 overall grade through two games.
Another top-10 pick in Saints OT Kelvin Banks Jr. (No. 9 overall) also sports a 64.8 PFF grade, including just a 47.2 percent run-blocking grade.
Speaking on Monday, Campbell acknowledged that his development has been a work in progress — especially when measuring his recent play against his performances during May and June.
“I’m a rookie. There’s a lot of stuff that I’m trying to work on and become better to become the type of player I want to become. So, it’s everything,” Campbell said, per MassLive’s Mark Daniels. “A big curve from college football to the NFL. There’s so many things that you try to come out here and get better with every single rep.”
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Even with those strong PFF grades, Campbell has still had his struggles over the last week — especially during joint practices with the Vikings in Minnesota.
Despite winning a few 1-on-1 matchups against Vikings Pro Bowl edge rusher Jonathan Greenard during those practices, he also relinquished multiple sacks against the standout pass rusher during team drills.
For Campbell, those struggles against one of the top defensive players in the NFL are all part of the process as a rookie.
“I think anytime in practice when you get to go against a guy from a different team that is a double-digit sack guy in the NFL as a rookie, it does nothing but good things for you,” Campbell said. “You don’t take anything like that for granted.
“Getting to go against a double-digit sack guy every day for two practices, it’s pretty good to go against somebody else other than my teammates. That’s a damn good football player.”
Despite some of those practice hiccups, Campbell has not let a poor rep or two stunt his overall progression, especially when it comes to his play during preseason action.
For Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf, Campbell’s ability to overcome those struggles is an impressive trait to have in such a young player.
“Will’s been solid. He’s getting better every day,” Wolf said Monday. “I thought Greenard got him a couple of times in that second practice against Minnesota, and Greenard is a really good player, so I think that was a really good learning experience for Will to kind of understand in pass sets that he can’t try the same thing each time. We’re excited about what he can do. (His) play style is phenomenal.”
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