Callahan: The Patriots made a big, big bet on Will Campbell

FOXBORO Robert Kraft walked the open Gillette Stadium turf Friday afternoon until he reached a small stage at midfield He climbed a two-step staircase and settled behind a waiting podium with his newest Patriot in tow Then Kraft welcomed Will Campbell just as he has every other Patriots top pick for largest part of the past years In his opening remarks Kraft mentioned the first rookie he introduced this way Richard Seymour Drafted sixth overall in Seymour was a prototypical fit for Bill Belichick s first Super Bowl-winning defense as if Belichick had assembled him in a lab to anchor the Patriots new - front Not long after Seymour helped launch a dynasty and himself into league lore as a Pro Football Hall of Famer On Friday Kraft eventually ceded the stage to Campbell by saying he hopes the -year-old tackle can help usher in a new era just as Seymour did A lofty ask to be sure but one Mike Vrabel co-authored by picking Campbell fourth overall He believes Adding Will to our football squad is about a foundational piece Vrabel commented Thursday night a young -year-old that s mature beyond his years If Campbell proves Vrabel right the odds he will have climbed will be far steeper than the two-step staircase he scaled Friday He will become the first NFL offensive lineman since to stick at tackle with a wingspan shorter than inches Campbell measured in at inches during the draft process He repeatedly pooh-poohed the notion his arm length will affect him at the next level fairly noting it didn t hurt him at LSU where coaches shared similar concerns before signing him as a recruit But the NFL not Campbell nor Vrabel nor anyone else in New England will decide his fate The opponents looking to embarrass him drive a straight arm into his chest and knock him flat on his back they will reveal whether Campbell can stand tall against history and stand alone The Patriots believe Campbell will become a historic exception for the same reason all height-weight-length exceptions exist in the NFL he s already an outlier athlete and competitor In college he started of games and developed into one of the school s all-time offensive linemen and leaders A walking talking blocking snarling lifestyle driver Values is everything Civilization wins you games Campbell revealed Friday That goes for any stage of any sport whether it be high school college NFL That s what s going to set you up for success in the long run because whenever you have that bond the trust in the guy next to you and that relationship you re willing to do whatever to make sure that you succeed and not let the guy next to you down That s something that I m all about As for the physical consider the great short quarterbacks Passers like Drew Brees Russell Wilson Kyler Murray and Doug Flutie all overcame their smaller stature by compensating with other elite traits accuracy decision-making rapid processing and a quick release For Campbell that will mean foot speed rd percentile in the -yard dash explosion out of his stance rd percentile in the broad jump violence and adaptability He s a quick evaluation Vrabel commented We spent a lot of time with him Whatever mistakes that exhibited up which they all do he recovers briskly and can fix those mistakes Related Articles Eliot Wolf reveals Patriots war room debate before crucial Day pick Patriots provide scouting reports on Day NFL Draft picks New Patriots WR Kyle Williams explains electric battle Patriots select Geogia center Jared Wilson th overall Patriots draft Washington State WR Kyle Williams th overall In the end Campbell does not need to reach the heights of a Brees Wilson or hell even Murray He requirements to stay on the field and fix a long-term matter at left tackle that has now dogged x Patriots quarterbacks from Mac Jones to Bailey Zappe Jacboby Brissett and certainly Drake Maye And if Campbell succeeds the next step is Brian O Neill O Neill is the Vikings longtime starter at right tackle a two-time Pro Bowler with a wingspan barely an inch longer than Campbell s He went in the second round of the draft Questions abounded over his arm length that spring and he proved to be what was then the ultimate exception This past year O Neill started his th championship for the Vikings midway through his seventh season He graded out as the th-best offensive tackle in the league at Pro Football Focus He will never be revered as a franchise pillar like Seymour or ranked among the all-time greats at his position But he was enough More than enough relative to expectations And now starting over again years later that s exactly what the Patriots need