Although the NFL Draft started with a shocking trade on Thursday, the New England Patriots took no one by surprise after picking Will Campbell with their No. 4 overall selection.
New England's protection for quarterback Drake Maye was extremely lackluster during his rookie season, which made increasing his safety a priority for the team this offseason. Campbell is also the quintessential selection for the hard-nosed Mike Vrabel in his first year at the helm considering his affinity for the trenches.
After New England put Maye first with the No. 4 choice, he made sure to show his appreciation and give Campbell a more than warm welcome to Foxborough.
Love this guy already🔥 LFG https://t.co/r5Y5dFdTCv
— Drake Maye (@DrakeMaye2) April 25, 2025
The NFL posted a video of Campbell's emotional reaction to being taken by the Patriots on Twitter. Maye quickly chimed in on the clip, stating, "I love this guy already. LFG" with a fire emoji as well.
Maye has made it crystal clear that he approves of this pick and is excited to get to work with Campbell. That's a great to see from one of this team's young leaders, and it'll sure have Campbell even more fired up to protect the 2024 No. 3 pick.
Maye, along with early 2024 season starter Jacoby Brissett, found himself on the ground more times than any quarterback would like during his inaugural campaign. The Pats surrendered a whopping 52 sacks, which tied them for the fifth-most given up acorss the entire league.
Campbell, who won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy and earned Consensus All-American honors in 2024, along with making the All-SEC team three times (two First Team, one Second Team), should immediately help an offensive line desperate for help.