ESPN’s Bill Barnwell put together a list of trade valuations ahead of the 2026 season. The New England Patriots were well-represented on the list, with quarterback Drake Maye garnering high honors in the group. One player that had a bit more subdued valuation was left tackle Will Campbell. Bardwell expanded on this in his piece.
Campbell was drafted with the fourth overall selection in the 2025 NFL draft. The rookie quickly got to work, becoming a staple of the Patriots’ line. He started to stabilize towards the midpoint of the season. A late-season injury derailed his progress and ultimately made him a shell of his former self.
Barnwell had strong critiques as it related to Campbell, but also cut him a bit of slack in the process.
Campbell was a top-five pick a year ago in a much better draft, and while the LSU product saw his first season end in brutal fashion as he was overwhelmed in the Super Bowl, closer inspection has suggested that his struggles were a product of returning quickly from a knee injury as opposed to issues with his levers. Campbell was playing solid football before the injury, and there are enough teams that see him as a left tackle (and need help at the position) to justify something more than a first-rounder for a player who is still only 22.
A Tale Of Two Seasons For Patriots Rookie
Campbell had a strong start to the 2025 season. He was able to slide into the offensive line and make an impact right away. He was able to have immediate success over his first few games of the season. Over his first four games, which equated to 205 offensive snaps, he allowed only one sack. The lineman also ranked among the NFL’s best in both pressure rate and average time to pressure. Campbell allowed roughly 4% in pressure rate and 3.5 to 3.6 seconds in average time to pressure.
The turning point of his season was indeed the injury. He suffered a grade 3 MCL sprain against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 12. This is where he began to slump a little bit. The increase in competition, as well as his injury, made for a difficult postseason. This culminated in a poor showing against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX. He allowed a season-high 14 pressures in the game. It was a rough showing for a rookie who had started with such promise at the beginning of the year.
Even still, Campbell was able to finish with a 76.1 pass-blocking rating per Pro Football Focus. Although it wasn’t necessarily the best rating, he was still able to put together a solid benchmark for his first season.
Expectations Still High For Patriots Lineman
The expectations, understandably, are pretty high for Campbell. He is slated to be the left tackle of the future for the Patriots’ offensive line. Protecting quarterback Drake Maye is the ultimate goal. Campbell passionately indicated that he would do that as soon as he got drafted by the organization.
This is certainly going to be an interesting test for Campbell. The Patriots currently have the sixth-hardest schedule in the NFL. Campbell will have to go up against some elite defensive linemen this season. The injury, and his first season in the NFL, were two major hurdles he had to face last year, and it will be interesting to see if he can play at a high level once again. He is now fully healthy and ready to play. The Patriots will be relying on him heavily to succeed on the offensive line. It’s too early to write him off yet, but he must show that he can produce, and quickly.
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