Day 1 of the 2025 NFL draft was filled with surprises as teams moved up and down the pecking order with a handful of first-round trades. The New England Patriots, however, weren't in on the trade action, instead standing pat with the fourth overall pick; a selection they used to help franchise quarterback Drake Maye by selecting LSU offensive lineman Will Campbell.
Campbell ended up with the Patriots in a good chunk of mock drafts, making his selection not that surprising. New England also had plenty of pre-draft interactions with the ex-LSU Tiger that likely telegraphed this move, including one moment that head coach Mike Vrabel hopes never sees the light of day.
Patriots News: Mike Vrabel Reacts to Will Campbell's Pre-Draft Punch
Much like "Stone Cold" Steve Austin did in the 1990s, a lot of people imagine fighting their bosses. Well, it turns out that Campbell got to live out that dream in a pre-draft interaction with Vrabel last week, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel.
"Mike Vrabel donned one of those blocking pads on his chest. Will Campbell punched him, Vrabel fell right over on his derrière," Thamel said.
Our hit from the ABC Draft on how Will Campbell of LSU aced his job interview by punching his future boss, Mike Vrabel, and knocking him over on his derrière. Vrabel loved it. Campbell became a Patriot. pic.twitter.com/8OooMAqcYM
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 25, 2025
The idea of Campbell punching a fully-padded Vrabel is quite the wild image, and it didn't take the Patriots head coach long to comment on the potentially embarrassing moment.
"I realized I’m close to 50, and if that tape ever gets out, people are going to have some problems," Vrabel told NESN's Greg Dudek. "I think it was important for me to get out there and feel him, and feel every player that we evaluated at the line of scrimmage."
Although the official footage may never see the light of day, Campbell didn't hesitate to admit that he got the better of Vrabel.
"I got (Vrabel)," the Patriots' latest first-round pick admitted. "I’m not going to lie. I got him on the ground."
Even though he likely no longer weighs 261 pounds like he did during his playing days, it isn't as if the six-foot-four Vrabel is a small man. The fact that Campbell — six-foot-six, weighing 319 pounds — easily knocked him over should not only excite Patriots fans, but also worry opposing defensive linemen.
Campbell, 21, heads to New England following a strong three-year run at LSU. The former Tigers OL is coming off a huge 2024 performance that saw him tally first-team All-SEC and consensus All-American honors, while also earning the Jacobs Blocking Trophy as the conference's top blocker.
Hopefully, Campbell can find similar success on Vrabel's offensive line. Maye's upside was limited last year due to the Patriots' abysmal O-line, which ranked 31st and 32nd in terms of pass blocking and run protection grades, respectively, on Pro Football Focus.
Patriots fans won't have to wait long to see what Vrabel and Campbell can do working together instead of as pre-draft sparring partners. The Patriots will hold their three-day rookie minicamp on one of May's first two weekends, marking the next major stop on the offseason roadmap.