Will Campbell stresses importance of a strong culture during Patriots introduction
The Patriots welcomed first-round draft pick Will Campbell to Gillette Stadium on Friday, less than 24 hours after taking the left tackle with the fourth overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Campbell continued the now 25-year tradition of New England's first pick in the draft joining owner Robert Kraft and team president Jonathan Kraft on the field and holding up a No. 1 Patriots jersey.
"That tradition started exactly 25 years ago when we brought Richard Seymour here and presented him with the No. 1 jersey. Today, we continue that tradition and legacy with another young man that hopefully will bring us into a new era the same way Richard did in his early years," Kraft said Friday.
Campbell was joined by his parents, his brother, and his girlfriend in Foxboro as he soaked in his new home stadium on Friday. He revealed Thursday night he knew he wanted to be taken by the Patriots after he met with executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf early in his final season at LSU. That meeting happened before Drake Maye had taken over at quarterback for New England and while Jerod Mayo's coaching staff was leading the way.
Asked why he felt so strongly about New England at that point, Campbell said it was the franchise's storied history and the commitment to winning from the top of the organization on down that drew him to the Patriots.
"I think the biggest thing for me was I wanted to play for an organization that had history, that cared, that wants to win. That's the thing for me. I want to come in and I want to win, and I'm going to do whatever it takes to help the team win," Campbell said while facing New England's six Super Bowl banners. "Drake is a heck of a player. I'm super excited to build our relationship. Coach [Mike] Vrabel is a guy that I want to play for. This is an organization – the proof is in the pudding with this place, and that's something that I want to be a part of. So, for me to be able to represent this organization, wear that logo on the side of my helmet and on the front of my jersey, it's everything I could ever ask for."
Vrabel called Campbell a "foundational piece" on Thursday night and lauded his maturity for a 21-year-old, along with the gritty play he'll bring to the trenches. Campbell is a strong leader on the field and in the locker room, and is now going to be a big part of the culture Vrabel is looking to establish in New England.
"Culture is everything. Culture wins you games," said Campbell. "That goes for any stage of any sport, whether it be high school, college, NFL. That's what's going to set you up for success in the long run because whenever you have that bond, the trust in the guy next to you and that relationship, you're willing to do whatever to make sure that you succeed and not let the guy next to you down.
"That's something that I'm all about. I want everybody on the field to know that I'm going to give them everything I have," he continued. "I want them to have full trust in me that I'm going to execute my job, and let's just go win some games."
Will Campbell on playing with Drake Maye
Campbell's main job on the field is going to be protecting Maye, who was sacked 34 times as a rookie last season. The quarterback got pretty good at improvising when the pocket collapsed, but Campbell should be able to give Maye some more time to operate in 2025.
Campbell is eager for the opportunity to win New England's starting left tackle job and keep pass rushers off Maye's blind side. He and his family had a chance to meet with Maye on Friday, and Campbell is looking forward to strengthening their relationship over the next several months.
"That's my quarterback. I'm just super excited to continue to build the relationship with him, get to know each other as people. It's something I'm looking forward to. I'm a quarterback guy. I care about him a lot off the field and on the field," said Campbell. "We were able to talk. He met my family, so that was pretty cool. We just talked for a little bit; he had to do some stuff and things like that, and we had stuff to do. It was short and sweet, but that relationship will continue to grow more as I'm up here."
Will Campbell will wear No. 66 with Patriots
While he held up a No. 1 jersey on Friday, Campbell will be rocking No. 66 for the Patriots when the season begins. There isn't a huge significance to the number, but Campbell said he's been sported the digits since his freshman year of high school. He's grateful that veteran guard Wes Schweitzer, who signed a one-year deal with the Pats in the offseason, gave him the number.
"That number has gone with me as I've grown as a player and as I continue to grow as a player," he said. "So, I'm just super thankful that Wes was able to let me wear that and that it all just worked out."
Campbell will be the 18th Patriots player to wear the No. 66 jersey, and since Schweitzer hasn't played a game for the team, he'll be the first since James Ferentz in 2020. He said he cannot wait to don his new uniform and run out onto his home field in front of his new home fans at Gillette Stadium for the first time.
"It's awesome," he said of Gillette. "Whenever you come up here, you always see it on TV and all the history that comes with this stadium. For me to be able to put that jersey on and run out of that tunnel here coming up soon, it's going to be pretty special."
