Will Campbell was thrown into the fire as a rookie in 2025, and the results looked the part. While he showed flashes reflective of his status as the fourth overall pick in the draft, he also had to deal with his fair share of issues.
From struggling against some top-tier edge rushers, to missing time due to injury, to an underwhelming playoff run culminating with a disappointing performance on the game’s biggest stage, Campbell’s first year in the NFL was nothing if not a learning experience. But
if his quarterback is to be believed, he is taking those lessons to heart in hopes of making the famous second-year jump.
“Will, he’s got a great mindset,” Drake Maye said following the Patriots’ organized team activity on Wednesday. “And I think, he’s got a little extra motivation for himself to prove to us and prove to himself he can be one of the best players in this league at his position.”
Campbell was inserted into the starting lineup right away upon joining the Patriots last spring, and ended up starting his first 13 regular season games. However, a late-November win over the Bengals proved to be a turning point for his fortunes: the LSU product suffered a ligament tear in his right knee and subsequently was subsequently sidelined for the next six weeks.
When he returned for the playoffs, the lights appeared to be a bit too bright. How much the injury factored into his struggles cannot be quantified, but the end result was a player — and offensive line as a whole — whose performance was not up to the previous standard and level necessary to win the Super Bowl.
Heading into his second season, however, dwelling on the past is not the way to move forward. Maye understands this as well, likening his own rookie experience to that of his left tackle.
“I think he understands the business and what this league is about,” the NFL MVP runner-up explained. “He kind of got a similar experience to me. Obviously, the seasons that we had were different between mine and his, my first year. But he got the full length of the season, the ups and downs of it.
“I think he’s got a great attitude. He’s working his butt off in there. Those offensive linemen, they’ve been doing a great job in the weight room. I’m not lifting the same weights as them, but I’ve been there with them. So, it’s fun to watch them.”
