The New England Patriots spent valuable draft capital on Will Campbell to be their left tackle of the future in 2025.
But ESPN’s Ben Solak threw cold water on that and explained why Campbell is likely to be unseated by 2026 first-round draft pick Caleb Lomu this season.
Campbell played 12 games in 2025 and missed five due to an MCL sprain. He came back to start all four New England playoff games, including Super Bowl LX.
The Patriots traded up to select Lomu from Utah with the 28th pick last month. New England traded a fourth-round pick, and the No. 31 selection, to the Buffalo Bills for the right to choose Lomu.
Ben Solak: Caleb Lomu Will Unseat Will Campbell During the 2026 Season
Solak referenced Campbell’s status as left tackle among the eight most compelling storylines about 2025 drafted players this season. He alluded to Lomu looming over the Patriots’ tackle role and explained why the Pats have almost no choice to replace Campbell.
“Whenever Campbell has a bad game — and all left tackles not named Trent Williams do — someone, somewhere will ask if it’s time to see Lomu,” Solak wrote. “The Patriots drafted the escape hatch, and now it waits in the corner with big red letters on the front: in case of emergency.”
Choosing bookend tackles in the first round of the past two drafts is not a bad philosophy, especially with the way Campbell played during the regular season before he injured his knee. But both Lomu, and the narrative of his arm length, threaten Campbell’s future as a tackle.
“Campbell’s arm length has always been a problem, but it is manageable,” Solak wrote. “Campbell still had worrisome games in the regular season — games in which his length deficiency showed up.
“During the season, Campbell’s lack of length regularly showed up when absorbing bull rushes from long-limbed edges, or when recovering against speedier rushers who had gotten to his corners.”
Solak: Will Campbell’s Knee Injury Affected His Rookie Season
Campbell’s arms have been a huge talking point all offseason, but Solak noted how he was banged up.
“Of course, nobody remembers the regular season because Campbell got burned in the playoffs,” Solak wrote. “Before the injury, Campbell allowed a pressure rate of 11.1% by NFL Next Gen Stats’ model (the league average for a left tackle was 10.1%). For a rookie on an island, that’s not too shabby. After the injury, that number leapt to 18.4%.
“The simplest explanation is that Campbell was an injured rookie playing in the Super Bowl, took his lumps and will be all the better for it.”
To Solak’s point, Campbell is still only 22 years old and was playing one of the most important positions against elite EDGE rushers like Will Anderson, Danielle Hunter, Tuli Tuipulotu and Nik Bonitto — each of whom finished in the top-10 in sacks.
“Four of Campbell’s five post-injury games were against playoff-caliber teams. It’s reasonable to expect that he struggled more in the postseason, just as other young players (including Drake Maye) also struggled in the playoffs,” Solak wrote. “The Patriots had an easy regular-season schedule, and postseason opponents put the gimpy Campbell under a harsh spotlight.”
Solak expects Campbell to improve, even if Lomu ends up taking his left-tackle job.
“He’ll return this season healthier and with a better understanding of how NFL rushers will try to expose his short arms,” Solak wrote. “As his technique improves, it’ll become easier to forget his size disadvantage.”
ESPN Analyst Makes Bold Prediction on Will Campbell’s Future at Left Tackle