The NFL’s 2025 pre-season is in the books, and the rookie class always gleans a lot of attention. This year’s draft is no different. Now that the preseason is complete, the NFL’s top rookies, the first-round picks, are being graded on their preseason performances.

Teams must add top performers in the first round, and that means starters if their drafts are likely to receive the grade they want. The Patriots this year are no different, as a lot of attention, both before and after the draft, was focused on their top pick, the fourth overall, left tackle Will Campbell.

Draft observers will recall all the hullabaloo about Campbell’s arms being a whopping 3/8s” shorter than the so-called NFL minimum for an NFL tackle, never mind a left tackle who plays on an island much of the time. Fortunately, Mike Vrabel ignored all that foolishness, stood pat, and used that fourth pick on Campbell, who was instantly installed as his starting left tackle.

Mike Vrabel chose Will Campbell, and people are seeing why

NFL preseason games can be taken with a grain of salt, as most NFL teams are loath to risk their top players hardly at all in these meaningless tilts. Of greater value are the now commonplace joint practices where teams square off on multiple days with lots of reps and with the competitive juices flowing.

CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso has rated each of the 2025 NFL draft’s first-round picks after the pre-season, including the Patriots’ new left tackle, Will Campbell.

” 4. OT Will Campbell Grade: A We didn’t see Campbell in the preseason finale for New England, as his film was that clean, especially in pass protection in the Patriots’ first two exhibition contests. Speed or power didn’t disrupt him whatsoever. “

Trapasso’s grade for Campbell, based primarily on a couple of preseason games, lacks depth. Regardless, it’s exactly what you want to see about your first round pick, no matter how small the sample size. Campbell is measuring up, and that’s good news for Patriot Nation.

Will Campbell will start at left tackle for the Patriots against the Raiders on September 7

Patriots fans didn’t need CBS Sports to validate Vrabel’s astute selection of Will Campbell to be his left tackle. The team has been without a top left tackle, the second most important player on the team after the quarterback, for several years. He was drafted by Vrabel to start, and that’s just what he’ll do against the Raiders on September 7th.

Vrabel is an NFL professional both as a Head Coach and as a personnel evaluator. His proficiency is evident in the brilliant off-season he conducted, cleaning up the mess created by his predecessors, including in the miserable 2024 draft, except for Drake Maye.

It was no fluke that Vrabel brushed off all the foolish banter about combine measurables thrown Campbell’s way. Pro Football Focus rated Campbell as their top tackle in the draft. In addition, Vrabel went to the place that means more than any combine measurables that make for good headlines and little else. He looked at Campbell’s film.

Campbell was the best tackle in the nation’s best college football conference, the SEC. He’s a top pass-blocker, with the footwork to mirror defensive linemen and edges and the strong hands to latch on and lock them down. Campbell will also be one of the NFL’s best run-blocking offensive linemen from Day One. All this adds up to an A grade for Campbell, Vrabel, and the New England Patriots.