The Patriots’ first-round pick left an impression during a recent pre-draft meeting.
A week before the start of the 2025 NFL Draft, a contingent of New England Patriots decision makers traveled to Baton Rouge for a final up-close meeting with offensive tackle prospect Will Campbell. It left an impression on head coach Mike Vrabel, literally.
As reported by veteran college writer Pete Thamel, Vrabel wore a blocking pad during the workout and asked Campbell to execute a dive block. The LSU product wasted no time hitting his future coach square in the chest and knocking him on his behind in the process, a fact that the former NFL linebacker seemingly enjoyed.
One week later, he was on the phone congratulating Campbell for joining the Patriots as the fourth overall pick in the draft.
“They all knock me around pretty good. I realize I’m close to 50, and if that tape ever gets out, people are going to have some problems. I hope that tape never sees the light of day,” Vrabel said during his post-draft press conference on Thursday night.
“I think it was important for me to get out there, feel them and feel every player that we evaluated at the line of scrimmage.
Vrabel’s hands-on approach was also appreciated by Campbell, who spoke glowingly about the first-year Patriots head coach during his introduction to the New England media. He also confirmed the report that he ran the three-time Super Bowl champion over during the workout.
“It was amazing,” he said. “Him and some of the other staff came in, and we had a great workout, got some good work in. They taught me some new stuff, and yeah — I mean, I got him. I’m not going to lie. I got him on the ground. I know we had a great lunch after, a bunch of great guys. I’m just super excited for this opportunity.”
That final visit with Campbell after already meeting him at the Scouting Combine and up in Foxboro for a 30 visit seemingly sealed the deal for the Patriots. Despite public concerns about his length or ability to hold up outside versus inside the line of scrimmage, he was their guy.
“Eliot [Wolf] and I, and Ryan [Cowden] and a few others, went down and spent time with him and worked him out, and then went and worked out a few more players the same day,” Vrabel said when asked about the timing of Campbell cementing himself as their No. 1 pick.
“We made a circuit, and I think when we came back and we slept on it and had the conversations about where it would be if he was on the board, I think probably then.”