Some argued throughout April that a New England Patriots team in need of pass protection should make Missouri offensive tackle Armand Membou the fourth overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft over LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell.
This is largely because Campbell’s arm length suggests he’ll never become an elite left tackle at the highest level.
Legendary offensive line coach and assistant head coach Dante Scarnecchia previously said he felt the importance of arm measurements “is way overrated” as it pertains to the left tackle position. Scarnecchia remains high on Campbell now that the rookie is a member of the Patriots.
“He’s learned to survive against great pass-rushers, even though his arms are whatever they are,” Scarnecchia said during a recent conversation with Karen Guregian of MassLive about how Campbell performed while at LSU. “…No one has questioned his athleticism and his skillset. No one has because there’s nothing to question. He can really move. He’s athletic for the size he has. He can run fast, he can bend really well. He’s got great change-of-direction skills. Everybody just has a hard time with his arm length.”
It’s now clear that first-year Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel wanted to draft Campbell, running back TreVeyon Henderson and others who possess “leadership qualities” and were seen as “high-character players.” That’s all well and good, but second-year quarterback Drake Maye is mostly going to care about how Campbell handles his on-the-field duties while facing pro pass-rushers.
Per Pro Football Reference, Maye ended the 2024 regular season with the league’s fourth-highest sack percentage (9.14 percent) among quarterbacks who made a minimum of eight starts. That stat makes the fact that he finished his rookie campaign 18th in the league among qualified players with a 58.6 adjusted QBR all the more impressive.
For an article published on Wednesday, The Athletic’s Ted Nguyen noted that Membou was one of Nguyen’s “favorite players to watch leading up to the draft” and “has a rare combination of athleticism, technical proficiency and mean streak.” The New York Jets grabbed Membou at pick No. 7, so he and Campbell will inevitably be compared to each other for as long as they feature for rival AFC East clubs.
“What I’ve noticed about Will Campbell is that he gets out there, and his hands are always in front of his body,” Scarnecchia added about what he saw from reviewing game film. “Your hands and your arms are your shield and your swords. Both of them. Look, this kid has already gone against guys that are NFL-caliber players. I think that’s a huge advantage to him. And to me, that lessens the risk factor.”
The Patriots passed on advertised day-one starters such as Membou, Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham and Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty at No. 4. NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein had Jeanty ranked as the draft’s highest-graded overall prospect, but Vrabel viewed Campbell as a better fit for where the Patriots are in their ongoing rebuild this spring.
