The Jacksonville Jaguars originally had the fifth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. They ultimately moved to No. 2 to select two-way star Travis Hunter. But if the Jags had stayed put, they would've had a wide array of options, ranging from running back Ashton Jeanty to wide receiver Tetairoa McMilliam.
One player who may no longer have been available if the Jags had kept the No. 5 pick was offensive tackle Will Campbell. Barring a trade, general manager James Gladstone wouldn't have been able to pick him. That said, there was plenty of chatter about the former Michigan Wolverine going to the Jags ahead of the draft. Ultimately, though, the New England Patriots selected him with the fourth overall selection.
Fast foward to the Super Bowl, and Campbell made headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Will Campbell struggled in the Patriots loss to the Seahawks in the Super Bowl
Wil Campbell was the Patriots' Day 1 starter at left tackle. He flashed throughout his rookie season, but also left a bit desired at times. That said, not many people would have imagined that he would struggle so badly against the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl.
In just one game, Campbell gave up 14 total pressures, that's as many as the top offensive tackles in the NFL surrender IN A WHOLE SEASON! He wasn't much better during the playoffs, allowing three sacks and nine total pressures in the two games prior to the Super Bowl. However you slice it, his performance has suddenly become a reason for concern in New England.
In Campbell's defense, he wasn't the only Patriot who struggled, but he was, by far, the worst of the bunch. To nobody's surprise, he refused requests for interviews in the aftermath of the Super Bowl.
For the sake of transparency, though, there were no legitimate reports that the Jags were interested in him. Nevertheless, he was mocked to them a handful of times ahead of the draft.
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The Jaguars look like geniouses for passing on Will Campbell
One of the biggest concerns surrounding Will Campbell before the draft was his less-than-ideal arm length. He measured at 33 inches when the benchmark to thrive in the NFL is 34 inches.
It may not seem like much, but left tackles with an arm length shorter than 34 inches normally struggle. Sure, there are a few exceptions. The Jaguars have one in Cole Van Lanen. He was an offensive tackle at Wisconsin but switched to guard in the NFL because he didn't hit the threshold.
Circling back to Campbell, he was unfazed by the noise surrounding his measurements. However, the concerns turned out to be valid.
Of course, it's possible that Will Campbell will be able to bounce back after hitting a rookie wall. But there's an equal chance his struggles were a sign of things to come. Either way, the Jaguars dodged a bullet when they chose to get ahead of the Patriots to select Travis Hunter.