For the second year in a row, the most-talked-about draft prospect in regards to the New England Patriots ends up being their first overall pick. On Thursday night, the team selected LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell with the fourth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Campbell, who turned 21 in January, comes to the Patriots after starting three years at left tackle for LSU. He was named to All-SEC teams all three years, and was a Consensus All-American in 2024. In total Campbell started 37 games for the Tigers. In 13 starts last year he allowed just 18 pressures and two sacks.

At 6-foot-6, 319 pounds Campbell brings excellent athleticism and tenacity to the tackle position. He’s also very technically skilled.

The biggest question for him during the pre-draft process was his arm length. He measured in at 32 5/8-inches at the NFL Combine and 33-inches at his pro day, putting him right on the line of the tackle/guard benchmark. Some experts project him to move inside to guard at the next level, but given the Patriots current situation he should stick at tackle, at least initially, in New England.

Prior to drafting Campbell, Vederian Lowe was the only true left tackle on the Patriots’ roster. Last year’s third-round pick Caedan Wallace cross trained briefly in training camp last year, but is primarily a right tackle having played that position exclusively in college.

This is the first time the Patriots have drafted an offensive lineman in the first round since Cole Strange in 2022, and the first time they’ve taken a tackle in the first round since Isaiah Wynn in 2018. He’s the team’s third LSU draft pick in the last four years after guard Chasen Hines in 2022 and wide receiver Kayshon Boutte in 2023.

The Patriots’ next scheduled pick is early in the second round, 38th overall. They then have two third-round picks at 69th overall and 77th overall.