Former LSU tackle Will Campbell usually does his talking on the field, but following LSU’s Pro Day, the projected top offensive lineman in the 2025 NFL Draft had something to say about how he measures up as far as arm length.
With one of his weaknesses being below-average arm length which measured at 32 5/8 inches at the NFL Scouting Combine, Campbell had something to say about the gossip surrounding his arm length after measuring at 33 inches at Pro Day.
The talented offensive lineman wasn’t playing around when it comes to his ability on the field and thinks NFL teams won’t take issue with his arm length. Besides, why is it suddenly an issue?
“For two years, nobody had any measurements on me and nobody said anything about my play,” Campbell said. “So now, all of a sudden, an arm length decides if I’m a good player or not? I think it’s B.S.
“Any decision-makers in the NFL, they don’t really care – that’s all people who don’t coach, and they don’t coach for a reason.”
NFL coach says arm length is overvalued
The issue surrounding the arm length is not a matter of who good of a player Campbell is, but whether he would make a good NFL tackle. If most teams see him as more of a guard, his NFL Draft stock could fall, especially when it comes to a team like the New England Patriots who are desperate for a left tackle.
New Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel gave his input on arm length during the NFL Scouting Combine which supports Campbell’s statement that NFL teams really don’t care.
“I think arm length is good only up until the point to where you use it, right? If guys are sitting there and they’re catching, or they’re clamping, or their hands are outside, they’re not as long as maybe they would be if you punched,” Vrabel said, via Patriots.com. “There’s players that will punch with an independent hand and then bring a second one in or there’s two hand punchers. The most important thing is how you use whatever length you have.”
Campbell has used what he has at top level as he has positioned himself as the top tackle in the draft. Now the question is, will the debate about arm length cause him to slide in this draft. If it does, some team drafting beyond the top 10 will get a steal.
Other LSU Prospects making noise – Josh Williams shines
One of the players who shined at LSU Pro Day was running back Josh Williams who ran a 4.50 40-yard dash and posted a 42-inch vertical leap. Not one of the well-known running back prospects entering the 2025 NFL Draft, Willams rushed for 482 yards with 6 touchdowns in 2024.
The 5-foot-9, 210-pound running back who is also a dual threat option, hauled in 31 receptions for 263 yards in his final campaign at LSU. Known for his competitiveness, Williams is a player NFL teams will look at in Day 3 as a running back who is fantastic in the screen game. Along with the speed he showed off at his Pro Day, Williams as a quickness and strength in his game that makes him tough to tackle and elusive in the open field.
While top prospects like Campbell, Bradyn Swinson, Mason Taylor and Zy Alexander will get all the hype near the type of the draft, Josh Williams is a player who could be a diamond in the rough near the end of the draft or as a undrafted rookie free agent.