Even though they came short of their ultimate goals, last year was a profound success for the New England Patriots. In the first season after going from Jerod Mayo to Mike Vrabel, the Patriots went from 4-13 to 14-3, reaching Super Bowl LX in the process.
However, not all aspects of the Patriots’ transition went smoothly. Some moves didn’t pan out the way the team imagined.
One of those decisions the Patriots may be regretting was making LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell the fourth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. While he was starting at left tackle as a 21-year-old rookie, Campbell allowed five sacks during the regular season and another four in the playoffs. In other words, he had some growing pains as a first-year pro.
Recently, the Patriots selected Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu with the 32nd overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Is he arriving in New England as someone who will push Campbell at the left tackle position, or is Lomu being looked at as a potential long-term replacement for right tackle, Morgan Moses, who is 35? Lomu played 1,582 snaps at left tackle in college, compared to just 18 at right tackle.
Shortly after the draft concluded, Essentially Sports’ NFL insider Tony Pauline dropped an interesting nugget regarding how the Patriots may view Campbell internally. Specifically, he wonders if the Lomu selection means the Patriots have already “given up on Campbell,” one year after making him the fourth overall pick.
“From a scouting perspective, Lomu may need some time before he’s ready to step on the NFL field, as he must get a lot stronger, but his upside is incredible. Then there’s the fact that the Pats selected Will Campbell with the fourth pick in last year’s draft. And while he struggled late in the season, one has to wonder if New England has already given up on him.”
Teams don’t just give up on No. 4 picks after just one season, especially at positions that often feature a longer learning curve going from college to the NFL. We’re guessing the Patriots aren’t anywhere close to giving up on Campbell either.
The Patriots also selected offensive tackle Dametrious Crownover with the 196th pick, adding yet another tackle to compete for playing time as a rookie. What does it all mean? If anything, the Patriots are sending signals to their offensive line that last year’s performance wasn’t always up to par, and if they’re not ready to improve, then the team will continue bringing in potential replacements, even if you’re a recent first-round pick.
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