"When Mike Vrabel joined the New England Patriots on January 12, 2025, he knew he had a massive revamping of a bottom-of-the-NFL roster to undertake. One unit was the offensive line, and one position in particular needed addressing: left tackle. He filled it in the first round with Will Campbell, who's now been ranked the seventh-best rookie in 2025 by Pro Football Focus (PFF)."
"Campbell was the fourth-overall pick in the draft, so why not higher on that list? That's an easy question to answer; offensive tackles aren't the most glamorous positions on an NFL team. The skill positions get the accolades, while the big guys upfront do the dirty work to allow them to succeed. Such is the lot of an NFL offensive lineman. They play to serve and take the punishment while the quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers get the glory."
"ESPN's NFL All-Rookie team was announced recently, and Will Campbell's name didn't appear on either the first or second team list. It should have. While he missed five games due to injury (the presumptive reason for the slight), no rookie offensive lineman has probably had a bigger impact on his team than Campbell. Pro Football Focus (PFF) has now opined, and their opinion is as good as it gets in NFL evaluation."
Mike Vrabel took over the New England Patriots on January 12, 2025 and prioritized overhauling a weak roster, including the offensive line. The left tackle spot was addressed with first-round pick Will Campbell, the fourth overall selection. Offensive tackles receive less public acclaim than skill positions despite their critical role protecting quarterbacks and enabling the offense. Campbell started immediately at left tackle and made a significant impact despite missing five games with a knee injury. ESPN's All-Rookie teams omitted him, while Pro Football Focus ranked him the seventh-best rookie in the 2025 class and graded him highly.
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