After focusing inward to win the starting left tackle job for a big-time college football program, Campbell was instrumental in rebuilding an offensive line that had hit tough times. In 2019, the Tigers offensive line won the Joe Moore Award as the best offensive line in college football. However, LSU’s trenches took a step back for a few years until Campbell arrived on campus.

The Patriots are in a similar position where their offensive line has struggled over the last two seasons. In 2024, New England ranked last in run-blocking win rate and 31st in pass-blocking win rate while having a glaring need at left tackle, which is why Campbell was a no-brainer selection in the first round to protect second-year QB Drake Maye’s blindside. As he did in Baton Rouge, Campbell will now hopefully set the tone for the Patriots offensive line.

“He changed the culture the day he walked in the room,” Davis said. “It was his commitment and devotion to his craft, but also pouring into his teammates as well. When you see this kid out there on the practice field, he’s your best player, but he’s practicing and pushing himself harder than anybody else around him. He re-established the standard in the room.

“Your O-Line culture, I’m excited to see where it goes. If you surround him with other individuals who aren’t afraid of putting work in and breathe life into him, he’s going to be an All-Pro for a long time,” Davis said.

Although the intangible qualities that Campbell brings to the football team are outstanding, he still needs to pull his weight as the Patriots projected starting left tackle. From a playing style perspective, the LSU product has the athleticism and finishing ability to be a high-end starter in the NFL. That said, pundits poke holes in Campbell’s scouting profile by pointing to his lack of ideal arm length, with the 21-year-old measuring in with 32 ⅝-33 inch arms. To those detractors, Davis had a very matter-of-fact response.

“Will Anderson, Jared Verse, Dallas Turner, Dylan Stewart, Walter Nolan, Jalen Carter, Princely Umanmielen, Jared Ivy, Shamar Stewart,” Davis said, listing the top defenders that Campbell has faced in his time at LSU. “He’s played perhaps 15 first or second-round defensive ends. He’s played the best players in America every Saturday, and he dominated.

“I understand the value of metrics and historical data. Those things matter, but you can’t overlook or discount the amount of toughness and grit that this kid has to overcome what other people may consider a shortcoming. Any challenge that somebody places on this kid, he’s gonna work his ass off to absolutely destroy it. There’s nothing this kid can’t do.”

Pro Outlook with Duke Manyweather (Founder and CEO of OL Masterminds)

As his offensive line coach for the last three seasons, one would expect Davis to be highly complimentary of Campbell given the success the Patriots first-rounder had at LSU.

To project forward, Patriots.com also spoke to the Founder and CEO of OL Masterminds, Duke Manyweather. Manyweather is a leading offensive line expert with over a decade of experience training NFL athletes, including over 40 veterans several of whom have been named All-Pro and Pro Bowlers. OL Masterminds was created to solve a problem: a lack of “continuity with development in the offseason for offensive linemen.” During the offseason, OL Masterminds hosts a summit where offensive linemen congregate to meet and exchange tricks of the trade.

While understanding that playing along the offensive line is a technique-based position with limited in-season practice reps, Manyweather wanted to give offensive linemen expert training in the offseason so they could continue working on their craft, much like a private coach does for quarterbacks. Last offseason, Campbell began working with Manyweather to improve his game for his final collegiate season and has continued to train at OL Masterminds this offseason.

“When the season was over, [Campbell] got to work almost immediately. We started in early December and really identified some things that we want to work on,” Manyweather said. “[Campbell is] very coachable. He is a guy who shows up every single day ready to work.”