Unpopular Opinion: Will Campbell Regressed in 2024

I had high praises for LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell on his 2023 game film, but I’m not feeling as confident about his chances in the NFL after watching him play in 2024.

I’ve compared him to Hall of Fame offensive tackle Gary Zimmerman, but I’m backing off that now.

I fell in love with his football IQ and toughness, but this is the benefit of studying prospects to this level. Two seasons provide more perspective and clarity.

There’s nothing special about Campbell on his 2024 game film.

His footwork was inconsistent and he showed average playing strength, which really concerns me with him now going to play left tackle (or guard) in the NFL. To put it bluntly, Campbell had all he could handle against college-level competition this past season.

Footwork

Campbell’s footwork guarding the perimeter of the pocket was all over the road in 2024.

He looked like he was guessing.

Sometimes he would take these backward choppy little steps and sit in the shallow depths of the pocket and pass rushers would blow past him to the back edge of the pocket. At other times, he would overextend himself ‘anticipating’ a race to the back edge of the pocket and instead, the pass rusher would get pressure through his inside gap.

I feel like Campbell was attempting to compensate for his lateral foot speed. He shows ‘above average’ lateral foot speed. It’s not great.

Playing Strength

Campbell can pancake blockers when he has momentum and leverage run blocking, but it’s a different story in pass protection. Campbell gives up ground to authoritative bull rushers.

Sometimes too much ground.

He’s “light in the a – -,” as they used to say around the Jets’ building. In other words, he lacks lower body strength.

Pass rushers also had success hard pressing the gaps if and when Campbell lost blocking leverage.

Complacency

Campbell looked a lot better against USC, Vanderbilt, and Oklahoma than he did in the rest of his games in 2024.

This really rubbed me the wrong way.

His pass blocking looked sloppier and his run blocking looked less motivated outside of the three games I mentioned. He put on a clinic vs. USC. He was burying defenders alive on run blocks against Oklahoma.

It just wasn’t like that the rest of the time.

Developmental grade

Campbell needs to get into an NFL weight room to have a chance at becoming a successful starting offensive lineman.

He has the football IQ, hand technique, and competitive fire it takes, but he lacks the necessary upper and lower body power at this point.

His lack of instincts in pass protection also concerns me ⎯the unexpected pass rush moves.

All of this will take time, coaching, and keeping our fingers crossed.

#66 Will Campbell 6-foot-6, 319 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s 2025 Final NFL Draft Grade: Third-Round (I would select him)

Projected by 97.2% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of March 23, 2025 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

Will Campbell Reminds Former NFL Scout of This Hall of Famer (2023: 13 games evaluated)

2024 game film evaluated: USC, Nicholls, South Carolina, UCLA, South Alabama, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Texas A&M, Alabama, Florida, Vanderbilt, and Oklahoma (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2024: 2 sacks allowed, 5 hits, 11 hurries (Pro Football Focus)

NBC Sports Boston: Campbell’s 32 5/8-inch arms ranked in the seventh percentile among tackles at the combine over the last 20 years. His 77 3/8-inch wingspan is the shortest of any tackle at the combine since 2011.

2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Cerebral leverage prospect. Lean frame. Aggressive streak. Nimble. Average reflexes. Mostly stays off the ground. Can give up on blocks too soon. Tends to pick up stunts and blitzes in pass pro. Flashes fast first step. Good hand positioning at the point of attack. Strong hands. Inconsistent results against spin moves. Leaves front and back doors of the pocket too vulnerable. Average sustain run blocking. Can get to the second level and further downfield, but he’s hit and miss out in space. Mostly a positional leverage run blocker.

Final words

Campbell looks like a competitive try-hard.

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, and has written for Sports Illustrated (Lions, Jets, and 49ers), NFL Draft Diamonds, and Yardbarker, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. Follow on Twitter @firstroundmock.