PATRIOTS 2025 FIRST ROUND DRAFT PICK WILL CAMPBELL
PRESS CONFERENCE
April 25, 2025
RKK: Good afternoon everyone and welcome. It's always special to welcome a new Patriot, and today's presentation carries a special value to me because 25 years ago, as the stadium was being constructed, we started a tradition that brings pride and promise: bringing the Patriots top pick out here and presenting him with a No. 1 jersey. That tradition started exactly 25 years ago when we brought Richard Seymour here and presented him with the No. 1 jersey. Today, we continue that tradition and legacy with another young man that hopefully will bring us into a new era the same way Richard did in his early years. So, it's a great honor for me to introduce our No. 1 draft pick, Will Campbell.
WC: What's going on? How y'all doing? First off, before any questions, I just want to say a special thank you to the Krafts, the entire Patriots coaching staff. It's a complete honor and privilege to represent this organization. I'm super excited to be a part of this, and I'm looking forward to what the future holds. We can open up with some questions.
Q: Last night you spoke very passionately about a conversation you had with Eliot Wolf in Week 5 of last year where you said, 'New England is where I want to go, New England is where I want to play.' What was the spark, maybe, behind that passion, and given the fact that there's a whole new coaching staff here – I don't think Drake [Maye] had even played at that point – what caused you to think that way? I guess, is this the culmination of that conversation?
WC: Yeah, I think the biggest thing for me was I wanted to play for an organization that had history, that cared, that wants to win. That's the thing for me. I want to come in and I want to win, and I'm going to do whatever it takes to help the team win. Drake is a heck of a player. I'm super excited to build our relationship. Coach [Mike] Vrabel is a guy that I want to play for. This is an organization – the proof is in the pudding with this place, and that's something that I want to be a part of. So, for me to be able to represent this organization, wear that logo on the side of my helmet and on the front of my jersey, it's everything I could ever ask for.
Q: Coach Vrabel told us yesterday about your workout. We know he had the blocking pads; you put him on the ground. Setting that aside, he also expressed that he could tell in your eyes, you made a point that day to get drafted No. 4 overall. Can you provide some more detail on what that visit and workout was like and what you did to obviously deliver yourself as the No. 4 pick?
WC: For me, it was just coming out there and giving them everything that they flew down there to get. Showing how intense I was, how coachable I can be and just really having all eyes on what they wanted to see. Whatever they wanted to see, I was willing to do, no matter what it was. That's something that I just wanted them to know because I'm going to do whatever they ask me to do to help this team win in any way that I can.
Q: Mike Vrabel was saying yesterday that it sounds like you're probably going to play left tackle here, or at least give you that opportunity. What does that mean to you, and how important is that to you to play left tackle?
WC: Yeah, I mean it's a pretty cool opportunity to have. I'm just super thankful for them giving me this opportunity, them believing in me. I'm super excited for what the future holds here, and I really just can't wait to get back out here after today and get back to work.
Q: I'm just curious, I know you were No. 66 at LSU. What's the significance of that number for you?
WC: It's just something I started wearing my freshman year in high school. That number has gone with me as I've grown as a player and as I continue to grow as a player. So, I'm just super thankful that Wes [Schweitzer] was able to let me wear that and that it all just worked out, but yeah, I'm just looking forward to it.
Q: What has today been like for you? What have you been doing? You got on the plane, you came here. What did you do with the ownership group, and what have you done since you've gotten here to Foxborough?
WC: We flew in this morning, had some breakfast, things like that. But it's just been really everybody meeting my family. We're out of the interview process; it's over. So now, it's all about the next step and that's us getting ready to go play this upcoming season and being up here, still building our relationship with all the coaches and things like that, meeting some of the guys. So yeah, that's really what today has consisted of.
Q: I'm curious, what's it meant for you working with Duke Manyweather? I know you guys have been doing some stuff together. How do you feel like he's helped you advance your game in the time that you have been together?
WC: Yeah, for sure. Duke is the best, I think, when it comes to offensive line training. The guys that he trains speak for themselves. I think this past season, he trained eight Pro Bowlers, so that's something I want to be a part of. He's very hands-on; that's what I like. That's what I like about Coach Vrabel, too. So, for me to be able to go and work with him, I had the opportunity whenever I was in college, and I knew that after those two days there training with him that that's where I was going to be as long as I'm playing.
Q: I'm just curious as you walked in today, your first thoughts of Gillette Stadium?
WC: Oh, it's awesome. Whenever I came here for my 30 visit right after the NFL Combine, I walked in here and came in right over there. Whenever you come up here, you always see it on TV and all the history that comes with this stadium. For me to be able to put that jersey on and run out of that tunnel here coming up soon, it's going to be pretty special.
Q: Just wondering, Drake Maye posted last night on X. He said, 'Love this guy already,' after some of your comments last night. Just two questions. Have you had the opportunity to speak with Drake Maye and just generally your reaction to his comments last night?
WC: Yeah, I mean, that's my quarterback. So, I'm just super excited to continue to build the relationship with him, get to know each other as people. It's something I'm looking forward to. I'm a quarterback guy. I care about him a lot off the field and on the field. We were able to talk. He met my family, so that was pretty cool. We just talked for a little bit; he had to do some stuff and things like that, and we had stuff to do. It was short and sweet, but that relationship will continue to grow more as I'm up here.
Q: I'm just wondering if you ever talked to Josh McDaniels, and how did you see yourself fitting in his offense?
WC: Yeah, I was able to talk to Coach McDaniels whenever I was up here on my 30 visit. He's been here for so long; it's just an honor to play for him. He's coached a lot of good offenses in his years here, and I'm just super excited to get to work with him. I'll do whatever he asks of me, and I'm just really honored to be able to play for him.
Q: Coach Vrabel talked a lot about culture, and it seems like that was something that appealed when he drafted you. What is your goal, your vision, how you intend to help him rebuild that here as Mike's first, first-round pick?
WC: Culture is everything. Culture wins you games. 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. I want everybody on the field to know that I'm going to give them everything I have. I want them to have full trust in me that I'm going to execute my job, and let's just go win some games.
Q: Who has made the trip with you here today, and share what those people mean to you?
WC: Yeah. My Mom, Dad, my brother, my girlfriend, my agent, and my co-agent are here. Those are people that have done everything for me, especially my family, my girlfriend. They've been with me for a lot longer than my agent has. I'm just super thankful for them. They're people that I lean on in this process and even outside of the football aspect of things. I'm super lucky to have them. They're the best circle that I could ask for. I love them all.
Q: Will, welcome to New England and congratulations. You describe your play style as nasty on the field. How do you describe your off-field personality in the locker room?
WC: I think I'm a very personable guy. One thing about me is I can relate to anybody. Coming from Louisiana, you have a chance to meet all different types of people and I'm able to create a relationship with whoever that might be. I'm able to understand people no matter where they come from, who they are. I'm just a personable guy. I can get along with anybody. I like to talk to people. I can converse with anybody, whoever it might be. In the locker room, I just want everybody to give their best every single day, expect the best out of each other and just push each other to the best of each other's ability.
Q: Will, you were just speaking about off the field. I know you have a very giving personality and charities that you contribute to. I'm curious how and if you plan on bringing that giving up here to New England, giving back to this community?
WC: Yeah, no doubt. This is the community that supports us. This is the community that fills up these seats in this stadium. I feel like that's a service you have to do and that I want to do. It's something that I've done not just in my community where I grew up, but throughout the state of Louisiana. For me to be able to do that here, I think would be really special, and it's something I look forward to doing.
Q: Hi Will and congratulations. Coming from the SEC, you're obviously used to high expectations and a high level of play. How do you feel like that prepared you for the expectations of the fans in New England?
WC: Definitely. LSU is the most premier university in the country. Everybody that goes to LSU has the opportunity to play in stadiums like these. It's everything I could have asked for. The guys that came way before me laid the blueprint for guys like me to come in, follow, trust in and work towards. They laid the foundation, I just had to follow the blueprint. I feel like it's the closest thing to the NFL that you can get. I'm just super thankful for everything they've done for me, not only on the field but off the field. I feel like they've prepared me.
