Two-time first-team All-SEC? Great. Jacobs Blocking Trophy? Superb. Consensus All-America selection? Magnificent. LSU’s star offensive tackle Will Campbell checks all the boxes a highly touted draft prospect requires. Like he is almost certain to be picked top 5 once this year’s draft comes around. However, there’s one thing that continues to hinder Campbell’s draft stock come April. Actually, it’s not about his draft stock, it’s related to his dream of continuing to play as a tackle among the pros. Campbell’s arm length may cause problems once he does move to the NFL with the Patriots.

See on Sunday, Will Campbell’s arm length was measured at 32 5/8 inches, which falls under the 33-inch threshold. Ideally, to play a tackle in the NFL, you need to have at least a 33-inch arm length. But Campbell has failed to breach that threshold. So, will that be a problem for the Patriots? Well, they are clearly interested in using their No.4 overall pick on Campbell. And apparently as per Mass Live’s Mark Daniels the Patriots don’t feel Campbell’s arm length will be an issue. Yes, it is shorter than the usual requirements to play tackle against elite bull rushers.

But considering Campbell’s record at Baton Rouge, those inches might not be an issue. Standing at 6-foot-6 and 323 pounds, Campbell was a mauler at the SEC. Imagine surrendering just 2 sacks last season and just 4 in three seasons as a starter for the Tigers. Like those aren’t just numbers. They are something that can make any franchise drool just by thinking about the prospect of Campbell joining them. He comes with a monstrous 80.6 pass-blocking rate from his 558 pass protection snaps last season. So, Campbell clearly has enough weightage to stack his claim at playing tackle in the NFL.

As Vrabel said, “If you’re maybe an average length-player that doesn’t use the length, that would be difficult. But if you’re using it, then that can be position.” And it looks like Campbell is clearly using his disadvantage to his strength considering the numbers he racked up at the SEC. However, the Patriots Nation still aren’t convinced with their team’s probable decision to use No.4 overall on Will Campbell. Twitterverse was filled with reactions from fans questioning the Patriots’ stance on Will Campbell.

Patriots Nation erupts on the prospect of drafting Will Campbell

See, the Patriots have their future QB in Drake Maye but others don’t. Those above them in the draft, the likes of Titans, the Browns, and the Giants are all expected to pick QBs. None of them have a franchise signal-caller like the Patriots do. But things could be way different if the Titans end up going with Penn State’s Abdul Carter. And the Giants, who are almost certain to take the veteran QB route, end up drafting Colorado’s two-way superstar Travis Hunter. So, like this fan said, “Patriots should not draft Will Campbell. They should find a starting O Line in FA and draft another O Line 2nd round. The first round pick has to be Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter. It has to be.” 

But if those hypotheses do come true—with Carter going to Tennessee and Hunter to the Big Apple. There’s no chance the Patriots will get their hands on either once they are on the clock. That’s why they are so actively pursuing the prospect of picking Will Campbell. However, Campbell’s arm length has apparently made the Patriots Nation having second thoughts on drafting him as a tackle. “You don’t draft a guard at #4 with the hopes he may be able to play tackle….should’ve learned that lesson from Isaiah Wynn.” Well, Wynn was a complete bust when the Patriots drafted him as their 23rd overall in 2018.

He spent most of his time in the injury reserves. The Patriots kept on experimenting with him as a guard, at LT, at RT, and LG. But none of them bear the results they were hoping for. Maybe that’s why this fan doesn’t want the same thing to repeat with Will Campbell. Actually, those reactions didn’t end there. One of them even squashed any chance of Campbell succeeding as a tackle in the NFL. “I wouldn’t take Will Campbell in the top half of the first round with those itty bitty little t-Rex arms.”

No matter what the Patriots or the whole league thinks of Campbell. He is pretty confident in his capabilities. And the best thing about him is he isn’t shying away from playing anywhere in the O-line. “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.” So, the final decision lies in the hands of the Patriots. It would be up to them whether they really are all-in on him playing tackle. Or is Campbell’s future in the NFL lies somewhere else in the O-line.