
Will Campbell wanted to be drafted by Patriots before pre-draft process
FOXBORO — Will Campbell got his wish.
The Patriots’ fourth overall pick told reporters Thursday night that New England is where he wanted to be drafted from the start of the pre-draft process.
“(Patriots executive vice president of player personnel) Eliot Wolf came to my practice about Week 5 of the season, and I told him, this is where I wanted to be,” Campbell said Thursday night.
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“I told him, and our area scout, Alex Brooks, that I wanted to be a Patriot, and that happened in the middle of the season. I’ve had great interactions with everybody throughout the process, a lot of them — private workouts, 30 visits, just being up there, getting to meet everybody. And you know, it’s just where I wanted to be. I’m just super excited to get there.”
Campbell said he recalls the Patriots dominating their opponents whenever he turned on the TV and mentioned watching Tom Brady, Danny Amendola, Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski by name.
Campbell said all of the right things about playing for a Patriots team that has won just four games in each of the past two seasons.
“It’s everything. I played for a historic program (at LSU). Now to play for one in New England, you know? I guess I’m lucky, but I’m just super excited and thankful to wear that logo and on the side of my helmet and across the front of my chest,” Campbell said. “It’s a complete honor, and I’m just excited.”
It’s everything. I played for a historic program. Now to play for one in New England. You know? I guess I’m lucky, but I’m just super excited and thankful to wear that logo and on the side of my helmet and across the front of my chest. It’s a complete honor, and I’m just excited.
Campbell’s pre-draft visit to Foxboro was his first time in New England. He called it an “awesome place.”
“I just think that the culture and the New England Patriot logo speaks for itself,” Campbell said. “I believe in the guys in that locker room. I believe in the quarterback and Coach (Mike) Vrabel is my kind of guy. He’s all ball and no BS, and that’s what I want to play for. He’s very hands-on. He loves the players that he coaches. And you know, I just want to be a part of that.”
Campbell is excited to start working with last year’s first-round pick, quarterback Drake Maye. Campbell is expected to play left tackle with the ultra-important role of protecting Maye’s blindside.
The Patriots struggled to protect Maye last season with a revolving door at tackle, with Chukwuma Okorafor, Vederian Lowe, Caedan Wallace and Demontrey Jacobs all taking turn on the left side.
“He’s a heck of a player, a heck of a leader, and you know, he’s the commander of our offense,” Campbell said of Maye. “I’m not only excited to play with him, but you know the rest of the team, I’m excited for the future that we have in Foxboro, and I think we got a special season coming.”