Silver And Black Pride
Regardless of what position he plays at the next level, the LSU product is an impressive offensive line prospect
Recently, Silver and Black Pride has been exploring the Las Vegas Raiders’ options outside of quarterback with the sixth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. If the Raiders miss out on Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders or opt to go with the best player available approach, then LSU offensive lineman Will Campbell should be considered.
Campbell’s best position at the next level is a bit of a question. Some feel his lack of arm length will push him inside to guard, but the former Tiger had plenty of success at left tackle in college. Meanwhile, Las Vegas could use a starting guard immediately and Kolton Miller will be 30 years old and in a contract year next season.
With that, it would make sense for the Silver and Black to invest in Campbell. So, let’s dive into his game and see what he can bring to the table.
While Campbell’s arm length is below certain thresholds for NFL teams, one way he overcomes the physical limitation in pass protection is by having great timing with his punch. That allows him to make the first significant contact despite having a shorter reach and stop a pass-rusher’s move before it happens, as seen in the clips above.
Additionally, the LSU product has good hand placement to help gain control of the block and stay attached to rushers. To a certain degree, that lengthens his arms so to speak.
Where the area of concern comes in is Campbell’s margin for error is going to be much smaller in the NFL. He’ll need to be consistently on time with his punch to hold down the edge and long-armed pass rushers who have quick hands will give him trouble at the next level.
If Campbell slides inside, he’ll be asked to use more quick sets in pass protection rather than dropping vertically. Part of the reason why many feel he can successfully make the position switch is because he has shown a handful of quality reps using quick sets even when playing on the outside.
Campbell’s get-off stands out in the two reps above. He’s quick off the ball to reduce the space between himself and the defender and engage quickly. That makes it difficult for the defender to work a pass-rush move since there’s less space. Also, this is another good way to overcome having short arms.
As a side note, the first clip above also highlights the offensive lineman’s finishing mentality as a blocker. He punishes jumpers by getting physical and putting them on the ground, which any offensive line coach will love.
Ole Miss has several draft prospects on the defensive line, but they were having a tough time beating the All-American. He didn’t allow a single pressure on 56 snaps in pass protection, according to Pro Football Focus. So, the Rebels tried running stunts at the end of the game. However,...
