Heading into the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, few players had more to gain or lose than LSU tackle Will Campbell.
If he came into Indianapolis, checked all of the boxes, and showed off his 35-inch arms, then Campbell would have been all but cemented as the top offensive lineman in the 2025 NFL Draft, with his draft stock more or less locked in the top-6 one way or another.
If, however, Campbell struggled, or simply didn’t check all of the measurable boxes scouts look for, well, he could see his stock drop as calls to play him at guard continue to grow.
Officially, Campbell’s arms measured in at 32.625 inches, which is a good bit shorter than many fans, pundits, and scouts alike wanted to see. While there are still some teams who could view Campbell as a tackle, as he did rank third in athletic ranks in the 2025 NFL Combine according to NFL.com, some, like PFF’s Trevor Sikkema, believe teams like the Bears could view the LSU product like the next Peter Skoronski, who has exclusively played guard at the NFL tackle after being a quality tackle at Northwestern.
“I still love Will Campbell as a player, but his 32 5/8-inch arms rank in just the 7th percentile for tackles and his 77 3/8-inch wingspan would be the shortest of any offensive tackle since at least 2011 — likely much further,” Sikkema wrote.
“Peter Skoronski never got a chance to play offensive tackle when he was drafted. I am not sure Campbell will either. That doesn’t change the fact that he’s an NFL starter, especially for a team like Chicago, where he would be perfect at guard or center.”
Is Sikkema on the money? Maybe so, but there are still talent evaluators who believe Campbell can play tackle at the NFL level, including Lance Zierlein, the top scout at NFL.com.
Lance Zierlein still views Will Campbell as a left tackle
Breaking down Campbell’s game in his scouting report, Zierlein noted that he believes the LSU product can still play tackle in the NFL; he just needs to figure out the right technique for pass protection.
“Athletic left tackle prospect who’s durable and battle-tested but has elements of high risk, high reward in his game. Campbell is a thumping run blocker who can clear out B-gaps with forceful down blocks and displace base blocks with his ‘strike and run’ technique. He struggles to win laterally, though. He will lunge and miss against stunts and movement,” Zierlein wrote.
“Campbell operates with good athleticism and agility in pass protection but is way too leaky against inside moves. He has a jarring, heavy punch and can latch in to control the rep. However, he has short arms and when he’s beaten to first action, the footwork and technique go out the window, forcing him to scramble and survive to save the pocket. His play is determined, spirited, and aggressive, which works in his favor, but Campbell must learn to vary his pass-set technique and operate with optimal hand timing in order to thrive at tackle instead of being moved to guard.
Could Campbell see a player like Armand Membou be drafted before him in April? After his incredible NFL Combine showing, sure, but no matter what position Campbell plays, he is unquestionably still a top-15 NFL prospect and could play in the NFL for the next decade plus.
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