The first-round rookie has been a mainstay at left tackle all training camp.
Despite being a rookie playing one of the most important positions in football, Will Campbell has run exclusively with the New England Patriots’ starters in his first NFL training camp. That, of course, is a testament to his immense potential as a left tackle.
Despite said potential, however, the fourth overall selection in this year’s draft is well aware that he has considerable room for growth.
“I’m a rookie. I have a lot of stuff I have to work on,” Campbell told reporters after the Patriots’ fourth practice of training camp on Saturday. “I’m just trying to get better in every aspect of my game every single day.”
In order to achieve that goal, the 21-year-old is relying heavily on the support he is getting from his coaches, his fellow offensive linemen (particularly veteran tackle Morgan Moses), and even the men he is going up against every day. The Patriots’ defenders have been instrumental in his development so far.
That group is headlined by Keion White, who has regularly gone up against the youngster through the first four days of camp. Besides White, fellow edge rushers Harold Landry and K’Lavon Chaisson as well as interior linemen Christian Barmore and Milton Williams have also had a positive impact on Campbell thus far.
“I’m just super fortunate to have a guy like Keion, but not only him,” he said. “Guys like B-More, Milt, K.C., Harold — a lot of those guys have played a lot more football than me. So, anything that they can help me with or give me tips on things that they see that I’m doing to help my game, just help me get better in any way, that’s what a rookie asks for. I’m super fortunate to have that.”
Campbell added that, while he is absorbing all the information he can get, he also wants to be a source of information for New England’s defenders.
“They’re all great dudes. So, if I’m going to ask, they’re going to tell me and vice versa,” he said. “If they ask me something, I’m going to tell them. It’s just the culture that we’re trying to create around here, guys helping each other out. They’ve been super good to me.”