FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- LSU offensive lineman Will Campbell was moved to tears after the New England Patriots selected him with the No. 4 pick in the NFL draft, reflecting on his journey before sharing his plan for keeping quarterback Drake Maye out of harm's way.
"I'm going to fight and die to protect him with everything I've got," Campbell told NFL Network.
That drew a reaction from Maye, who posted on X: "Love this guy already."
The selection reflected one of the Patriots' top priorities entering the draft -- to provide better infrastructure around Maye.
"I'm super excited," Campbell said. "He's a heck of a player, a heck of a leader, and he's the commander of our offense."
The 6-foot-6, 319-pound Campbell started 38 straight games at left tackle over the past three seasons. Just as he started as a true freshman at LSU in 2022, he'll have a chance to step immediately into the starting lineup with the Patriots, as left tackle is arguably their largest void.
"This was a very, very easy pick for us," first-year head coach Mike Vrabel said. "Adding Will to our football team is about a foundational piece, a young 21-year-old that's mature beyond his years.
"He's a leader. He's durable. He's physical, dependable, accountable. He's a quick study. We spent a lot of time with him. He made a huge impact on us."
The Patriots ranked 31st in pass-block win rate last season, and they were 32nd in 2023. They allowed pressure on a league-worst 39.4% of their dropbacks last season, according to ESPN Research.
As part of their scouting of Campbell, the Patriots visited him recently at LSU and Vrabel put on a blocking pad as part of a workout. Campbell knocked him over at one point.
"It was amazing," Campbell said. "We had a great workout. They taught me some new stuff, and yeah, I got him. I'm not going to lie, I got him on the ground."
Vrabel, who played 14 seasons in the NFL as a linebacker, joked that he hoped the tape of the workout remains undisclosed.
"I think it was important for me to get out there and feel every player that we evaluated at the line of scrimmage," he said.
"When we went down there to work him out, he showed up with one purpose, and that was for us to pick him. From the time that we walked in the building to the time that we left and got on the plane, he had one objective, and that was to prove to us that he was the right player for us."
Campbell, who turned 21 on Jan. 6, has long been on the Patriots' radar. He was a consensus All-America selection last season, a two-time first-team All-SEC pick, and he won the SEC's coveted Jacobs Blocking Trophy.
He said he told New England executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf and area scout Alex Brooks in Week 5 of the regular season that he hoped to be a Patriot.
"I played for an historic program at LSU, and now to play for one in New England, I guess I'm lucky," said Campbell, who is only the second LSU offensive lineman to be selected in the first round in the common draft era, joining Hall of Famer Alan Faneca in 1998. "I'm just super excited and thankful to wear that logo on the side of my helmet and across the front of my chest. It's a complete honor."
Campbell's arm length, which measured 32 5/8 inches at the NFL combine and 33 inches at LSU's pro day, has sparked debate in some scouting circles because it is below the norm at left tackle. Campbell's wingspan of 77 3/8 inches is also below the norm for the position, which has led some scouts to project him more to guard in the NFL.
The Patriots could use help at both spots, but left tackle is considered more of a premium position, and New England is viewing Campbell as a tackle.
New England returns last year's starter Vederian Lowe, who is recovering from offseason surgery on his shoulder, and Vrabel said he planned to give 2024 third-round pick Caedan Wallace snaps at the position.