Patriots Mock Draft Roundup 6.0: A lot of Will Campbell to New England at No. 4
We're one week out from the NFL Draft, and are starting to get a clearer picture on how things will play out for the New England Patriots. A lot still rests on what other teams do with the top three picks, but a consensus selection for New England at No. 4 has emerged.
That would be LSU left tackle Will Campbell, whom many mock drafters have going to the Patriots at fourth overall in their latest prediction posts. And it's not just the mockers who have the Pats picking Campbell, with ESPN's Todd McShay really pumping up the LSU product.
There is some concern about Campbell's arm length -- which measured at 32 5/8 inches at the Combine but 33 inches at LSU's pro day -- and the potential he'll have to move to guard at some point in the NFL. But McShay called Campbell "one of the cleanest prospects in the entire draft" on The Ryen Russilo Podcast this week, and said the Patriots would thrilled to draft him with the fourth pick.
"I think teams are looking at it — the Patriots specifically — trying to get some leadership in that offensive line room, with their star quarterback, trying to develop him, in Drake Maye," said McShay. "That like, 'All right, maybe we don't get a superstar here, but we're going to sleep really well Thursday night going into Friday of the draft knowing that we got a guy that's going to be ready to play and is going to bring a lot of leadership to this organization.'"
New England's pick really hinges on whether or not Shadeur Sanders goes in the top three. Quarterback Cam Ward is going No. 1 to the Titans, and receiver/corner combo Travis Hunter and edge rusher Abdul Carter are likely going 2-3 to the Browns and the Giants, though the order is unclear. There has been a lot of rumblings about Carter falling, and he could potentially be there at No. 4 for New England.
But with the draft a week out, most mock drafters have Campbell going to New England to protect Drake Maye for years to come.
Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN: Will Campbell, OT, LSU
With Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter both gone, this pick becomes all about the offensive line. I know a lot has been made of Campbell's sub-33-inch arm length, but he has the footwork and pop to stick at left tackle and keep Pats quarterback Drake Maye clean.
In his latest mock draft, Kiper traded off picks with Field Yates for the first three rounds. Kiper has the Patriots drafting Michigan DT Kenneth Grant at No. 38 overall in the second round, and Yates has New England taking Washington State receiver Kyle Williams at No. 69 overall in the third round.
Previous pick: Will Campbell
Chris Tapasso, CBS Sports: Will Campbell, OT, LSU
Easy pickings here for the Patriots, who get the consensus top blocker in the class for Year 2 of the Drake Maye era.
Previous pick: Abdul Carter, DE, Penn State
Mike Dussault, Patriots.com: Will Campbell, OT, LSU
Campbell's durability, consistency, and high-level performance in the SEC would make him an ideal candidate to join the Patriots' offensive line. His experience and leadership could provide an immediate boost to the team's most glaring positional hole, while also offering a major infusion of athleticism.
Dussault went all seven rounds in his latest mock:
Round 2, 38th overall: Nic Scourton, DE, Texas A&M
Round 3, 69th overall: Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State
Round 3, 77th overall: Damien Martinez, RB, Miami
Round 4, 106th overall: Jeffrey Bassa, LB, Oregon
Round 5, 144th overall: Riley Leonard, QB, Notre Dame
Round 5, 171st overall: Logan Brown, OT, Kansas
Round 7, 220th overall: Ty Robinson, DT, Nebraska
Round 7, 238th overall: Drew Kendall, C, Boston College
Adam Rank, NFL Network: Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
You might have had the worst offensive line in the NFL last season, and I get why you'd want to build that unit up, but passing on talent for positional need can set a franchise back. Hunter is a playmaker on both sides of the ball; put him in an offense with Drake Maye and Stefon Diggs, and now you've got something. Don't reach for the lineman here.
Rank's mock draft is titled "What every team SHOULD do in Round 1" and it has a huge twist in the Top 3. After Ward at No. 1, Rank has the Browns taking Carter and the New York Giants drafting Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty at No. 3.
Mike Band, NFL Network: Will Campbell, OT, LSU
With Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter off the board, the Patriots prioritize protecting Drake Maye. Head coach Mike Vrabel is on record stating he views Campbell as an offensive tackle, despite the chatter about his arm length. While Missouri's Armand Membou might have gained momentum after a strong pre-draft process, it feels more likely that Vrabel and GM Eliot Wolf trust their fall evaluations and lean into the tape.
Dane Brugler, The Athletic: Will Campbell, OT, LSU
Should the Patriots consider Ashton Jeanty? Of course — he is arguably the best player available here. But Campbell also would be in the best available conversation at this point, plus he plays a position that's a major need for New England. The Pats nab the best offensive lineman in the draft.
Brugler went all out and did a full seven-round mock draft. Here's who he has New England drafting the rest of the way:
Round 2, No. 38: Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State
After addressing their offensive line in Round 1, the Patriots come back and add a big, athletic wide receiver on the outside. A grouping of Higgins-Stefon Diggs-DeMario Douglas across the formation would be a clear upgrade over what New England was trotting out at receiver last season.
Round 3, No. 69: Jared Wilson, C, Georgia
Round 3, No. 77 Ty Robinson, DT, Nebraska
Round 4, No. 106: RJ Harvey, RB, UCF
Round 5, No. 144: Kyle Kennard, Edge, South Carolina
Round 5, No. 171: Mitchell Evans, TE, Notre Dame
Round 7, No. 220: Garrett Dellinger, G, LSU
Round 7, No. 238: Ryan Fitzgerald, K, Florida State
The Ringer: Mason Graham, DL, Michigan
Graham's arms measured in at a less-than-ideal 32 inches flat in Indianapolis. That lack of length could give some teams pause. But Graham's rare combination of explosiveness, balance, and power should override concerns about his build. He's a wrecking ball on the interior and gives New England another foundational piece to build around up front.
Josh Liskiewitz, Pro Football Focus: Will Campbell, OT, LSU
In three seasons as the starting left tackle for LSU, Campbell surrendered just five sacks and posted run-blocking grades over 80.0 on both inside-zone and duo runs.
Round 2, No. 38: JT Tuimoloau, Edge, Ohio State
Tuimoloau put together the best stretch of his career during Ohio State's playoff run, as he racked up six sacks and 19 total pressures in his four playoff games.
Round 3, No. 69: Wyatt Milum, OT, West Virginia
With an arm length under the 33-inch threshold, Milum will most likely transition to guard, but his outstanding senior season at West Virginia bodes well for his NFL future. His 92.6 pass-blocking grade led all linemen in the country, regardless of position, and his 89.7 run-blocking grade was third-best.
Round 3, No. 77: Savion Williams, WR, TCU
Listed at 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, Williams boasts an outstanding frame that he used to dominate in contested situations at TCU, as he hauled in an impressive 28 of 38 contested targets throughout his college career.
Nate Tice and Charles McDonald, Yahoo Sports: Abdul Carter, DE, Penn State
The Patriots would love to add to their offensive line and weapons this draft, but Carter is too good of a talent to pass up. Along with new additions Milton Williams and Harold Landry III as well as returning players Christian Barmore (hopefully healthy now) and Keion White, Carter would help turn this Patriots front into a formidable one, with a nice collection of different skill sets to work with, too.
Previous pick: Abdul Carter
In an interesting twist, Tice and McDonald have the New York Giants drafting tackle Armand Membou third overall. They have Campbell going 11th overall to San Francisco and Sanders dropping to Pittsburgh at No. 21.
Brent Sobleski, Bleacher Report: Will Campbell, OT, LSU
The pieces are falling into place for the New England Patriots. After fielding the NFL's worst roster a year ago, the organization used the league's most salary-cap space to address numerous issues in free agency.
The lineup isn't complete, though.
Despite adding veteran right tackle Morgan Moses and center Garrett Bradbury, a massive hole exists at left tackle. LSU's Will Campbell is a necessary addition to protect quarterback Drake Maye's blind side.
Kyle Crabbs, The 33rd Team: Will Campbell, OT, LSU
The Patriots' decision doesn't just boil down to "who can help Drake Maye the most?" But that answer, being Will Campbell at this stage, doesn't hurt the decision to lock in the LSU Tigers offensive lineman.
This is a clear need for New England and fits the model of what Mike Vrabel is hoping to build — a tough, gritty team in the trenches.
Crabbs also went the distance and mocked seven full rounds. Here's who else he has landing in New England next weekend:
Round 2, No. 38: Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State
Round 3, No 69: TJ Sanders, DL, South Carolina
Round 3, No. 77: Olu Oladejo, Edge, UCLA
Round 4, No. 106: Tory Horton, WR, Colorado State
Round 5, No. 144: Craig Woodson, Safety, California
Round 5, No. 171: Hollin Pierce, OT, Rutgers
Round 7, No. 220: Kyle Monagai, RB, Rutgers
Round 7, No. 238: Isas Waxter, CB, Villanova
Marcus Mosher, The 33rd Team: Will Campbell, OT, LSU
For a moment, it sure seemed like the Patriots would have a chance to select Hunter or Carter at No. 4. But with only one quarterback coming off the board, they will have to go elsewhere.
Campbell doesn't have elite length, but he is the type of leader and player who Mike Vrabel will love to add to his locker room. New England needs more talent on its offensive line, and Campbell will eventually find a home where he can be a dominant player.
