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Will Campbell, OT, LSU (Junior)

Picture of Rayane M

Rayane M

The 2025 NFL Draft is fast approaching, and despite an initial impression that this year's class might lack talent, The Trick Play team has once again delved into the tapes to bring you scouting reports on the players who will soon wear the jerseys of your favorite franchises.

From Quarterback to Safety, including the trenches where Offensive Linemen and Defensive Linemen engage in a relentless battle, Rayane and Valentin will walk you through the new faces of this 2025 draft class while everyone is excited about the coming NFL Draft

 

Strengths :

  • Excellent Pass blocker
  • Good upper body strength
  • Really good hand placement
  • Solid run blocker
  • True leader
  • Polyvalent
  • Age
  • Good athletic capacity
  • Football IQ

 

Weaknesses :

  • Mediocre leverage
  • Lacks domination in the run block
  • Too many penalties
  • Tends to extend his arms too much
  • Reach
  • Lacks focus sometimes

TTProfil

 
Today, it's Will Campbell's turn to go under the microscope, and I prefer to be honest with you—I’ve evaluated him like any other prospect, despite the fact that, as an LSU fan, I haven’t missed a single one of his games over the past three seasons. I've had the chance to see his entire college football career, the highs, the lows, and everything in between. 
 
 
So, let’s start with the good, as usual, before diving into areas for improvement. If there’s one area where Will truly excels, it’s in pass protection. Honestly, I was very close to placing him in the "elite" category for this specific skill—if not for one minor flaw that we'll discuss later. Will is excellent in pass protection, largely due to his very strong footwork. However, despite how good his footwork is, I’ve intentionally chosen not to list it as a primary strength because he still makes occasional mistakes that can be costly.
Will is also very agile and quick in his kick-and-slide technique, allowing him to keep up with even the most athletic pass rushers in college football. As you’ll see in the conclusion of this report, the list of NFL-caliber talent he has faced might be the most significant credential on his résumé as a pass blocker.

In terms of power, while I believe he lacks some lower-body strength, he makes up for it with solid upper-body strength, which often allows him to take control of the block—especially if the defender is poorly positioned or mistimes their movement. It’s not uncommon to see him fold opponents in half or even pancake defenders who try to engage without first disengaging from him.
More generally, when Will Campbell locks his block, it's rare to see the defender manage to get out, even for the most powerful power rusher.
 
If Will is very effective at locking in blocks and showcasing his upper-body strength, it’s also because he relies on good hand placement. While he occasionally gets flagged for holding, it doesn’t change the fact that he’s often well-positioned to engage blocks thanks to his footwork. Additionally, his hands are rarely out of place, allowing him to maintain control throughout the play.
We'll come back to this flags thing later, but on the whole, and on the majority of snaps played by Will, his placement is very good.
 
The Pass pro part was discussed, but what about his ability to block in a race situation?
To put it as simply as possible, while Will isn’t necessarily dominant in this area, he remains a very solid run blocker. However, let’s be clear—when I mention a lack of dominance, it shouldn’t be misinterpreted by those who haven’t watched LSU games over the past three seasons. What I mean is that, rather than delivering jaw-dropping plays with incredible explosiveness or overwhelming strength that completely erases defenders, Will does his job efficiently and quietly.
The good thing here is that he could still improve by working on a very specific point that we'll look at again in the weakness section and on which I intend to keep him on his toes.

Campbell is a player who, overall, moves quite well. He possesses solid athletic abilities, allowing him to quickly climb to the second level. More importantly, he demonstrates impressive agility for his size, making it relatively easy for him to operate in a mobile offense that relies heavily on zone-blocking schemes.
During his time at LSU, he repeatedly demonstrated his ability to redirect and reposition himself when climbing to the second level in order to pick up the most dangerous man, the defender who poses the greatest threat to the play. This is a significant strength that adds value to his potential as a run blocker.
 
Will's ability to make this adjustment on the fly during a rep with such consistency is also due to another good point in his game: his reading of the game and his Football IQ.
Campbell is certainly an intelligent player, but more importantly, he has a strong ability to read the game—something not all players possess, especially at his young age. In pass protection, this is a key asset, as he frequently recognizes blitzes and communicates them so the quarterback can adjust the protection if needed. After an adjustment period to the speed and complexity of the NFL, there's no reason to believe he won't be able to do the same at the professional level.
 
As I mentioned above, Will is still young, and this will likely play a significant role in his high draft selection. Despite having three full seasons as a starter at LSU—making him a veteran at the college level—he was never redshirted and is entering the draft just after turning 21. Let’s be clear: this directly impacts his draft value in terms of potential and ceiling.
That being said, despite his young age, what’s truly impressive about Will is that he is a natural leader. Whether it’s through his performances on the field or his overall attitude, he never hesitates to step up when things go wrong, taking criticism from the media to shield his team. Conversely, when things are going well, he’s more than willing to let his teammates shine. Campbell is a true leader, and it’s players like him that you build an offensive line around.
 
Finally, we have to mention the potential versatility that could appeal to many teams. While Will played exclusively as a left tackle at LSU, he actually spent his entire high school career as a right tackle and is naturally right-handed. This could be a key factor if a team decides to test him on the right side first.
Moreover, thanks to his intelligence, solid footwork, impressive athletic abilities, and sound technical skills, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him excel as a guard. However, as we’ll discuss shortly, certain weaknesses in his game make me think that drafting him with the intention of immediately shifting him to guard might not be the best idea.
So we have a young player who, on paper, can play anywhere on an OL (except Centre), the kind of good point that can make the difference when it comes to choosing between him and another.
 
What about Will Campbell's weak points? Can we really rely on him as a safe choice for the first round, or does he have flaws that will be prohibitive for you? Let's find out.
 
Let's get down to the nitty-gritty of his game: Will plays far too high. This is immediately obvious on any tape, and in my opinion, it's the flaw in his game that needs to be fixed, and as quickly as possible, if Will doesn't want to go through hell in his rookie season.
First of all, he plays very high and stands very upright in his pre-snap stance, which only reinforces the impression that he is constantly too tall. Additionally, playing this high and with such an upright posture significantly limits his power angles.
While this doesn’t seem to hinder him at all in pass protection, I find it hard to believe he’s playing at his full potential on run blocks, where a lower stance would allow him to generate much more power through leverage.
In the same way, while this doesn’t affect his near-elite pass protection at the college level, what about the elite NFL edge rushers who combine extreme explosiveness with a low stance? Will he be able to maintain his level of play while staying so high? I have real doubts about this, which is why it’s crucial to address it quickly.
 
If I mentioned in the strengths section that Will is a solid run blocker, I still believe he lacks the overwhelming dominance in the run game that I expect from a top tackle prospect. While he doesn’t exude raw power or explosiveness, he does play with a "nasty" edge that is appreciated in offensive linemen. That’s why his lack of dominance in run blocking feels somewhat frustrating—he has the mentality but doesn’t always impose his will in the way you'd hope for in a high-end tackle prospect.
Just like what made Joe Alt drop to OT2 for me last year, I’d like to see more dominance from Campbell in these situations. He’s good, but not excellent, and that bothers me.
 
I believe that if this sense of dominance isn't felt, it's largely due to his lack of leverage, as mentioned earlier, which prevents him from fully utilizing his strength to overpower his opponents.
To add another layer to his leverage concerns—his main area for improvement—playing too high can also be a problem when facing very powerful and athletic power rushers who know how to exploit this weakness. In these situations, Will can be particularly vulnerable despite having good upper-body strength. While he has mostly avoided giving up too many sacks so far, matchups against this type of player tend to be more challenging for him, often resulting in increased pressure on the quarterback.
 
If you’ve been following this year’s draft discussions about offensive tackles, you’re probably aware that one of the key debates surrounding Will is his positioning. The debate is fueled by concerns that he may have shorter arms. I have my own take on this issue, which I’ll address in the conclusion.
That being said, one factor that reinforces the impression of shorter arms is Will’s tendency to overextend when reaching for defenders. This issue is particularly noticeable in run-blocking situations. The problem with this habit is that it occasionally gives defenders the chance to swipe away his hands and disengage from the block. To become a more complete and dominant offensive lineman, Will will need to refine this aspect of his technique.
 
Finally, Will Campbell will also need to work on staying alert throughout games. There are moments when he settles into a rhythm, especially if the defender across from him isn’t challenging him much. When this happens, he can sometimes get caught off guard by a well-executed unexpected move, which can put him in a difficult position and, in turn, put his quarterback under pressure. Beyond this, when Will finds himself beaten, he occasionally resorts to committing a penalty to protect his QB. This brings us to his final area for improvement—his tendency to draw flags.
 
Because unfortunately, yes, the flags are far too frequent in Will’s career for my liking. While some are clearly undeserved, often a result of his reputation, others are fully justified. The problem is that this reputation of being a player prone to flags has cost him dearly, leading to a significant number of unnecessary penalties. When you add them all up, they really start to hurt his overall performance.
This situation has become so persistent that, in his last season, it almost turned into a joke among LSU fans, football experts, and even some scouts, as Campbell was practically guaranteed to get at least one flag per game. Holding, false start, ineligible player beyond the neutral zone, illegal use of hands, and the list goes on. Again, I’ve had the privilege of watching every single one of Campbell’s games, and clearly, he didn’t deserve to be flagged for even a quarter of what he endured. If Colorado's offensive line had been officiated the same way Campbell was, they would’ve ended the season with negative yardage.
For some teams and coaches, they won’t mind the flags as much, given Will’s quality and potential, but for others, it might be the deciding factor that tips the scales in favor of another prospect. In any case, the best way for him to avoid finding himself in this situation again at the professional level will be to focus on cleaning up his game and not picking up too many flags during his rookie season. That way, he can avoid being labeled as a "penalty-prone" player and focus on showcasing his full potential.
 
 

 

Finally, with Will Campbell, teams have the chance to draft an offensive lineman who can immediately improve a line in need while offering significant upside potential. His strengths in pass protection and leadership are assets that will benefit any team, and with the right coaching to address his leverage and penalty issues, he could develop into a dominant player at the NFL level. Despite the areas of improvement, the overall package is enticing, making him a valuable prospect for teams looking to bolster their offensive line with a young, talented player. 
Indeed, Will Campbell has a very interesting profile for a team looking to strengthen its offensive line. His versatility, which allows him to play both as a Tackle or Guard, is a major asset, especially in the NFL where teams increasingly seek players who can adapt to different roles. His experience on the right side in high school and his solid performance on the left side at LSU show that he has the technical skills required to excel at multiple positions. Although there are still areas for improvement, particularly with his leverage and managing flags, his potential is undeniable, especially given his young age and athletic abilities. The fact that he has already proven himself among the best college offensive linemen further strengthens his credibility as a low-risk pick. A team that selects him could have a player who can contribute right away in his rookie season and improve over time, offering a nice upside. 

Then comes the famous debate with Will. Tackle or Guard? While some will present all the arguments suggesting that Will is a Guard and not a Tackle, and that the size of his arms is a huge red flag, I'll keep it short: with work, Will could definitely transition to Guard. However, his lack of lower body strength and, most importantly, his leverage could ruin his career if he doesn't fix it as soon as possible. It's simple: the archetype Will struggles most to block is a powerful and explosive Power rusher, which is exactly what dominates the NFL and salivates at the prospect of an OL who plays too high — the powerful DTs and extremely explosive ILBs who can blitz from anywhere. Perfect, then, to exploit Will’s number one weakness.
Conversely, before you try to put Will on Guard for an arm size that seems to terrify the experts, let me give you a nice little incomplete list of the Edge he had to block over his three seasons with the Tigers.

You'll see, on this jumbled list, few players of interest to these same experts, so we're talking about : Will Anderson (Draft Top 3, 18 Sacks in 2 NFL seasons), Dallas Turner (Draft 1st round, 22. 5 Sacks in CFB), Princely Ummanmielen (25 Sacks in CFB career), Dylan Stewart (Future 1st Rounder probable, 6.5 Sacks for his Freshman season), Byron Young (Draft 3rd round, 16.5 sacks in 2 NFL seasons), Jared Verse (Draft 1st round, Defensive Rookie of the Year), Laiatu Latu (Draft 1st round, 24 Sacks in CFB), James Pearce (announced 1st round this season, 19.5 CFB sacks), Landon Jackson (announced Day 2 this year, 16 CFB sacks), Nic Scourton (announced 1st round this year, 17 CFB sacks), Mykel Williams (announced 1st round, 14 CFB sacks) and at every training session BJ Ojulari (Draft 2nd round, 17 CFB sacks) and Bradyn Swinson (announced Day 2 this year, 13.5 CFB sacks).

And so with this list (incomplete I remind you, as there are still a few pretty names left off) you really want me to believe that, Will Campbell, who has allowed only 4 Sacks in over 1500 career passing snaps might have trouble acclimating to the Tackle position in the NFL because of his arm size, let's be serious for two minutes.

As you can imagine, it's a big yes for me to select Will Campbell in the 1st round, and it's only logical that Will should be part of my Tier 1 Tackle this year.

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