‘Respect the team and the people who work here. No hoods up during meetings. No cell phones in meetings and weight rooms.’ With this type of discipline from the start, Mike Vrabel is already squeezing things up for that extra juice in New England. The reason is simple. Their 2023 and 2024 seasons (both 4-13) were the franchise’s worst since 1992. The coach wants to flip the other side of the coin. Vrabel has started preparations with the Stefon Diggs trade, but something is missing. 

As he has already said, the Patriots need to work on offense as well as defense. The Patriots’ offense was nothing compared to divisional rivals in the last season. But things are changing now. And as the NFL drafts are right around the corner, the front office is on its toes ’cause it will be difficult to draft the prospects they want. This is what Boston reporter Ben Volin discussed in a recent convo with Jason McIntyre on The Herd with Colin Cowherd on Friday. 

Talking about the Patriots’ major concern, Ben Volin directly pointed out the left tackle position in the offensive line. He said, “The Patriots still definitely need to find an answer at left tackle.” He also named an important prospect for the left tackle position. The reporter said, “There’s not a guaranteed sure thing [about] left tackle prospect like Joe [Alt] last year who went to the Chargers. You know, Will Campbell from LSU is an excellent football player. A top prospect, maybe the best lineman in the draft, but there is some concern about his size and his measurable.” The 6’ 6” OT Will Campbell is 323 lbs. 

The reporter also said, “Yeah, I don’t think the issue was like a spoiled locker room. I don’t think attitude was the reason,” when the host asked him about the Patriots’ locker room. Ben Volin continued with a history lesson, “I think it was talent. This is a team that, for the last four to five years under Bill Belichick, really struggled to draft. And it all came to a head the last year or two where they just didn’t have much veteran talent. You know, back in 2021, they had to go out and overpay for several free agents like Hunter Henry, Matthew Judon. That’s a clear reflection of poor drafting.” And then he came to the most exciting part of the talk- NFL draft 2025 and the Patriots’s vision. 

The reporter said, “And same thing this offseason with all the money that the Patriots have spent. I mean, last year they had the worst offensive line, the worst group of receivers. Drake Maye was playing with nothing last year.” And they have already added Diggs, which was the appreciable thing the Patriots did after the offseason started. 

What Ben Volin wants to say here is that drafting the right talent is an important part of football. Last time Patriots signed Drake Maye. And it’s paying off. We have seen how Drake crashes stereotypes and jumps into the situation when the team can flip the losing side. And to get more talent, the Patriots can do great with 4th and 38th overall picks. They have two more within the top 100 (at 69th and 77th overall). 

But as Mike Vrabel and the Patriots move closer to the draft, the head coach is eyeing this 323 lb offensive tackle.

Mike Vrabel’s Patriots are set to draft Will Campbell

The Patriots are eyeing Will Campbell, who weighs 323 lbs. And according to a lot of sources, the LSU Tigers star may provide a strong anchor to provide the Patriots’ offensive line stability. But that would be their second pick. According to The Athletic, Mike Vrabel plans to use their first pick to draft Heisman winner and two-way star Travis Hunter to help out Drake Maye at the receiving end. But they also want him not to bother about the tackling job. And that’s why Will Campbell’s name came to the front. 

Talking about Will Campbell, Mike Vrabel has said, “I think you have to. I don’t understand how you can watch him play in the SEC, which is the best conference in college football, against guys that are going to get drafted at that position.” the Head coach also added, “So, I don’t think you have to project it, you can just actually watch and say there are the snaps at left tackle, evaluate it, and see what you think.” Maybe he thinks that Campbell is coachable even if he doesn’t have the ideal size and weight. 

Just a few days to go for the draft to kick off on April 24. But one thing is clear: If Mike Vrabel gets Travis Hunter and Will Campbell in the first two rounds, they are going to have a better season than the last two!