NFL Draft
11/11/24
6 min read
Will Campbell 2025 NFL Draft: Scouting Report For LSU Tigers OL
Height: 6060 (unofficial)
Weight: 323 (unofficial)
Year: Junior
Pro Comparison: Peter Skoronski
Scouting Overview
LSU Tigers offensive lineman Will Campbell has been a standout left tackle for the Tigers program but likely faces a more favorable projection to the interior in the NFL. Campbell’s density, foot speed, and movement at the point of attack would be more isolated as positive variables in his game, with bumpers on either side of him up front, mitigating some of the pass set framing and length concerns that litter his film at left tackle.
Campbell is tough and possesses a ton of natural strength throughout his game. If charged with playing in close quarters in protection, he has a chance to be a tone-setting presence up front. Any team would be well within their rights to test him at tackle first if preferred.
2025 NFL Combine Results
TBD
Positives
- Effective total-body power that can be applied in both the pass & run game
- Surprisingly light feet for a player of his build
- Three-year starter who is held in high regard for his leadership abilities
Negatives
- Can struggle with framing of speed rushes off the edge
- Overactive base in pass sets that creates narrow feet and soft angles for rushers
- Modest length further impacts his projection to play offensive tackle
Background
Campbell is from Monroe, LA, and played his high school football at Neville HS. He was a standout prospect who earned a 4-star recruiting ranking (247 Sports) and was one of the most highly sought-after players in the country.
Campbell earned offers from the expected powerhouse programs like Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas, USC, Florida State, and more — but the allure of playing for the home state Tigers proved to be too much. Before his enrollment, Campbell was a participant in the 2022 Under Armour All-American Game.
Campbell became a starter the moment he set foot on the campus. He’s manned the left tackle spot for the Tigers for three seasons now, earning Second-Team All-SEC honors as a true freshman and First-Team All-SEC honors during his sophomore season in 2023. Campbell will have completed three seasons of play before his 21st birthday, which is likely to be an attractive added layer to his evaluation. He’ll turn 21 on Jan. 6, 2025.
Tale Of The Tape
Campbell is a powerful presence along the line of scrimmage. He boasts a dense frame and some notable power throughout his punches, anchor, and leg drive to offer a consistent identity as a football player. He blends that physicality with some pleasant mobility — particularly through the lens of an interior offensive lineman. He’s got light feet, some good acceleration to the second level, and enough lateral mobility to create stretch and space at the point of attack on outside concepts.
Campbell does come with some uncertainty if he lands on the interior at the next level after playing three seasons as a starter at left tackle. However, the warts in his game should be significantly diluted if he’s playing with bumpers around him on either side.
Campbell gets attached to double-teams well and creates vertical push with consistency and effectiveness. Equally important are his late disengagement skills and nimble ability to uncover and challenge a second-level defender who is shooting into a gap to try to fill space. This makes him a preferred option to run behind on the ground, and his mass, frame, and foot speed should allow this to be a translatable staple of his game.
Campbell’s length is sufficient for play at left tackle in the NFL, but his framing and base inconsistencies compound the need to further amplify a potential move inside. Vertical sets can struggle to hit the needed depth vs. speed, forcing Campbell’s base to break down in pursuit of speed rushes off the edge. In these instances, Campbell can be isolated and beaten back across his face as defenders take advantage of the lack of balance and extra room as he flips his hips to the sideline to chase first contact.
Rushers that can convert speed to power with NFL speed, at times, successfully forcing him into an anchor vs. power — but he can be slow to re-engage his feet in these instances, and savvy rushers can, in turn, attack his post-leg and work back across his face for inside pressure. These issues were notable on the South Carolina and Texas A&M game tapes from 2024.
However, when you look at his film through the lens of an interior player, where the upfield urgency in pass sets is less common, and the lateral stress is reduced by extra bodies to leverage to frame-blocks, Campbell’s questions seem more like inconveniences towards a pathway to ideal positional value and less like barriers to being an impactful NFL starter on an offensive line.
He showcases good range on the backside of plays, and the angles of cutting off a linebacker will be more accommodating inside. Add in the reduced athleticism of his landmarks and opponents on the A-level of the defense inside, and this feels like an ideal fit.
Hand usage will determine just how good Campbell will be in the NFL straight away, as he has a ton of power in his punch and great grip strength that sometimes simply comes up empty on a stun punch. Again, a hypothetical transition inside would reduce the challenges of lining that stun up in space, and Campbell has the wide frame needed to ensure he’s not giving up a free gap.
Furthermore, he has the functional strength and effective lateral agility to slide and flatten before re-securing a fit. One of Campbell’s other warts is a habit of leaning into his fits with secure hands. He will need to be mindful of this to ensure he’s not snatched off his base as savvy defensive linemen attack his center of gravity.
Ideal Scheme Fit, Role
Campbell appears to be a scheme-versatile option on the interior. He has the lateral mobility and foot speed to play zone schemes and the power and vertical push to be a strong presence on an interior run-heavy scheme.
His angles are reduced for pass protection in this scenario as well, where his firm anchor can set a consistent depth of the pocket for his quarterback.
Grade: 83.00/100.00, First Round Value
Big Board Rank: TBD
Position Rank: TBD
