2 weeks Ago
LSU offensive lineman Will Campbell (66) pass blocks against South Carolina edge rusher Kyle Kennard (5) in the second quarter on Saturday, September 14, 2024 at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina. STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON LSU offensive lineman Will Campbell (66) stands in the tunnel before the game against Arkansas on Saturday, October 19, 2024 at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Will Campbell ’s parents recently learned that only one LSU offensive lineman has been picked in the first round of the NFL draft in the Super Bowl era. They found that hard to believe considering how many players have come through the program, and it boggled their minds that their son likely will be the second. Campbell is projected as an early first-round pick Thursday night in the 2025 NFL Draft.
He's expected to join Alan Faneca as the only LSU offensive linemen to be picked in the first round since the Super Bowl era began in 1970 after the AFL-NFL merger, and he could become the highest-drafted offensive lineman in school history. “I saw that the other day,” said Campbell’s dad, Brian, “and that blew my mind.” Campbell’s mom read about the history her son could make in a Monroe newspaper.
She then asked her sister whether anyone should talk about this before the draft happens, as though she didn’t want to jinx anything. “We have strived to keep him humble and grounded,” said Campbell’s mom, Holly. “There's a lot of talk, and it's nice.
But it's people's opinions. Until it's a done deal, it's purely speculation.” It will become reality soon enough.
Campbell flew to Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Monday as one of 17 players invited to attend the draft. His parents joined him the next day. After months of workouts, meetings with teams and scrutiny of his arm length , a day his parents said they were “anxiously awaiting” has arrived.
"I think it is extremely surreal for us," Campbell's mom said. "It's emotional. I'm so happy for him that this is something that he really had his eyes set on.
He knew from a young age that he had dreams." When Campbell’s name gets called — several draft analysts project him to go No. 4 overall to the New England Patriots — he will end a long drought for LSU.
The school has produced 30 first-round draft picks since Faneca went No. 26 overall in 1998 to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but not a single one was an offensive lineman. “I definitely haven't thought about that,” Faneca said, “but especially the direction the program has gone since I left and where it has been, that is hard to believe.
” Before Faneca, two LSU offensive linemen were picked in the first round of a professional draft. Dave McCormick went in the first round of the 1965 AFL Draft, though he was selected in the fifth round of the NFL draft. A year later, George Rice was picked No.
12 overall in the NFL draft and in the third round of the AFL draft. “We've had plenty of great linemen come through and play,” Faneca said. “It's just for some reason or not, getting drafted in the first round hasn't happened.
It's not always, as you can see from the guys that we have had in the NFL, it's not always the end of the world. There's still more football to be played, and your career still plays out.” To Faneca’s point, several former LSU offensive linemen went on to successful NFL careers without being first-round picks.
Kevin Mawae became a Hall of Fame center after getting drafted in the second round, and seventh-rounder Todd McClure was a longtime starter for the Atlanta Falcons. Andrew Whitworth was picked in the second round and assembled a Hall of Fame-worthy career. Seven offensive linemen were drafted in the past five years.
There was almost another first-rounder before Campbell. In 2015, La’el Collins was a projected first-round pick before Baton Rouge police sought to question him in the shooting death of a pregnant woman, though he was not a suspect. Collins went undrafted before signing with the Dallas Cowboys.
He’s entering his eighth season in the NFL. “It's a huge thing, and then after a while, it's just the next step,” Faneca said. “It's not the end of the road.
” For Campbell, it’s the next step in a career that continues to check the right boxes. He was the No. 36 overall recruit in the 2022 class coming out of Neville High, then cemented himself as LSU’s left tackle two weeks into spring practice as a freshman.
A three-year starter, Campbell became a two-time first-team All-SEC selection and 2024 consensus first-team All-America selection. “Hopefully he goes in the first round, but there have been a lot of first-round busts throughout the years,” Campbell’s dad said. “No matter what round you're picked (in), you've still got to go do the job and do it well.
I told him it doesn't really matter where you're picked. As long as you go do your job, you can play for a long time.” The only knock on Campbell during the pre-draft process was about the length of his arms, which can be important for offensive tackles to reach pass rushers.
They were measured as 325⁄8 inches at the NFL scouting combine and 33 inches at LSU's pro day. LSU coach Brian Kelly said teams asked him about Campbell's makeup, presence in the locker room and development over the past three years. He added the teams that spoke to him viewed Campbell as a tackle, not a guard.
"It hasn't been about arm length," Kelly said, chuckling. "It hasn't been about any of those things, because you've either made a decision that’s an issue for you or it's not an issue." Recently, Campbell told his dad that he had accepted God planned for him to go wherever he ends up.
At this point, he just wants to find out where he will start his NFL career, see who else gets picked by his new team and then go play football. Before he left for Green Bay, Campbell told his parents they couldn’t cry when he gets drafted. “Well,” his mom told him, “good luck with that.
”.
