Tag: will Campbell

Two LSU Tigers make the preseason watch list for the Outland Trophy

The Outland Trophy recognizes the best interior lineman in the country every season.

The Outland Trophy recognizes the best interior lineman in the country every season. Last season, T’Vondre Sweat from Texas took home the coveted trophy. On Tuesday, the preseason watch list was released for the Outland Trophy in 2024 and two of the Tigers’ best offensive linemen have made the list.

[autotag]Will Campbell[/autotag] and [autotag]Emery Jones Jr.[/autotag] are on the watch list. That is no surprise to most as these two players are two of the best offensive tackles in the country. Campbell is considered the No. 1 offensive tackle prospect in the 2025 NFL draft.

Campbell is a junior offensive tackle who started for LSU as a freshman. He has played in 26 games in two years and has shined. He made such an impact that he was honored with the No. 7 patch on his jersey to recognize that he embodies what it means to be a Tiger.

Jones Jr. was in the same recruiting class as Campbell and just like Campbell, he has played in 26 games in two seasons. He started in 24 of those games and is a huge reason why [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] won the Heisman last fall.

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ESPN names Joe Burrow, Tyrann Mathieu among best college football players since 2000

LSU has produced quite a bit of must-see talent over the last couple of decades.

College football’s history goes back more than 150 years, but in just the last 20 or so, we’ve seen quite a bit of special talent come through the sport.

ESPN’s Bill Connelly recently undertook the difficult task of trimming that list of stars down to just the 25 best since the year 2000, and unsurprisingly, LSU had a couple of representatives on the list.

As expected, [autotag]Joe Burrow[/autotag] comes in as a member of the top 10, ranking No. 9. A two-year starter for the Tigers after transferring from Ohio State, he had one of the best quarterback seasons in college football history as he won the Heisman and a national title in 2019.

Key accomplishments: 2019 Heisman Trophy, 2019 Davey O’Brien Award, 2019 Walter Camp Award, 2019 Maxwell Award, 2019 AP national player of the year, 2019 unanimous All-American, 2019 SEC offensive player of the year, 2019 first-team all-SEC, 2019 national champion; 8,852 career passing yards and 78 TDs, 820 rushing yards and 13 TDs.

You can find plenty of people who think 2019 LSU was the greatest team of the century, maybe of all time. I’m not here to relitigate that argument, but I’ll say this much: LSU was definitely one of the coolest teams ever, and the guy behind center had a lot to do with that. After finding a different level late in 2018, his first season as LSU starter, Burrow started 2019 in fifth gear and stayed there all year. He completed an otherworldly 76% of his passes at more than 14 yards per completion, he threw for at least 320 yards 13 times, and he produced the most incredible two-game CFP performance you’ll ever see: 60-for-88 passing for 956 yards, 12 touchdowns and no interceptions.

Joining Burrow on the list is [autotag]Tyrann Mathieu[/autotag] at No. 23. A do-it-all defensive back for the Tigers, Mathieu was a ball hawk in the defensive backfield and even made his presence known on special teams in the return game. In the process, he came about as close to winning the Heisman as a defensive player as anyone has in the last couple of decades.

Mathieu finished fifth in the Heisman voting in 2011, scoring four touchdowns (two via punt return, two via fumble return), making 7.5 TFLs and forcing six fumbles. Only seven players have forced more fumbles in the 2000s, and they all played more than two seasons. He is one of the most relentless players this sport has seen.

Only time will tell if any players from LSU’s 2024 roster, potentially offensive tackle [autotag]Will Campbell[/autotag], can crack lists like these in the future.

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2025 NFL Draft first impression: Will Campbell, OT, LSU

2025 NFL Draft first impression and scouting profile on LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell

In looking at some of the early 2025 mock draft projections, LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell is a first-round fixture. After watching a handful of LSU game tapes with a scouting eye on Campbell, it’s easy to see why the 6-foot-6, 320-pounder is so highly regarded.

Arriving at LSU as a 5-star recruit and a starting left tackle as a true freshman, Campbell certainly has the bona fides. The size, arm length and athleticism for his body are all very impressive.

One of the first things I look for in a left tackle is the initial step in pass protection. Campbell is very explosive out of his set, quick and balanced and careful not to overset. In fact, his feet are the best part of Campbell’s technical skill set.

The ability to drive his lower body and stay square to blocking targets in both run and pass blocking is very good. Advanced beyond his 20 years of age, even. He can effectively square up rushers who attack either shoulder, and he doesn’t waste steps or overreach from his base.

The biggest area where Campbell can help himself is with his hands. Pass rushers with active hands, like Missouri’s Darius Robinson (now a Cardinals first-rounder) were able to dictate the terms of the hand-to-hand combat. Campbell is more of a reactionary puncher in pass protection. Even when he lands the first jab with his impressive and quick reach, it doesn’t always look like he’s sure of what to do next with his hands or shoulders.

When he does lock in, the rep is over for the defense, period. But the inconsistent hand placement and use of strength and shoulder engagement aren’t quite there yet for Campbell. His shoulders and hands can get too narrow, sacrificing the natural power he’s got above the waist. There are times where he tries to compensate by getting a little too far out over his skis, something more notable in the run game. It’s reminiscent of longtime Titans LT Taylor Lewan in that regard.

Zero questions about effort or intensity with Campbell. He’s not an overly demonstrative personality, but don’t mistake that for lacking desire to whoop the guy across from him. He pulls well in the run game and can engage second-level targets relatively well, though there is some overreaching and timing issues evident there, too. His experience blocking in front of a mobile QB like Jayden Daniels appears to have developed his peripheral vision and awareness quite well.

Overall, Campbell is a high-end left tackle prospect with some need for technical refinement and consistency. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to hear his name called in the first half of the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, though Campbell can help ensure that with a little more attention to detail.

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LSU’s 2025 class building momentum for elite 2026 class

Louisiana’s 2026 recruiting class gives LSU the chance at another elite group.

LSU’s 2025 recruiting class is shaping up to be the best in Brian Kelly’s career and the best LSU’s had in a long time.

Its led by five-star QB and No. 1 overall recruit [autotag]Bryce Underwood[/autotag]. He’s joined by two more five-stars in CB [autotag]DJ Pickett[/autotag] and RB [autotag]Harlem Berry[/autotag]. Both players are considered the top recruits at their respective positions too.

The 2025 class is far from finished. With just 18 commits, LSU will look to add more. Ensuring the current commits make it past the finish line is critical too.

But it’s never too early to look ahead to 2026 when LSU could assemble a class just as strong. Louisiana is set to have one of its best high school crops ever next year, setting LSU up for another elite haul.

According to On3, 247Sports and Rivals, defensive lineman [autotag]Jahkeem Stewart[/autotag] is the top player in the country. Stewart hails from St. Augustine High School in New Orleans, a place that produced the No. 1 overall recruit 10 years ago in [autotag]Leonard Fournette[/autotag].

Stewart gives LSU the chance to land the nation’s top player in back-to-back classes. There’s a long way to go in his recruitment, but the On3 Crystal Ball gives LSU a 90.9% chance of landing Stewart. Underwood and Stewart in consecutive years is the type of core you can build a national title team around.

Stewart isn’t the only Louisiana product in the top 10. Offensive lineman [autotag]Lamar Brown[/autotag] sits at No. 5 overall. Given how strong LSU offensive line coach [autotag]Brad Davis[/autotag] is at recruiting Louisiana, it would be hard to imagine Brown going anywhere else.

Not further down the list, Baton Rouge safety [autotag]Blaine Bradford[/autotag] is on his way to earning a five-star. He’s out of Catholic High School, where LSU has several previous connections.

LSU has three five-stars committed in 2025 and the Tigers may not even leave the state to reach that total in 2026. With Stewart, Brown and Bradford, LSU can land the strongest core the state’s produced in some time.

There’s also OT [autotag]Brysten Martinez[/autotag] and safety [autotag]Aiden Hall[/autotag], two more top 50 recruits in Louisiana.

What might have LSU fans particularly excited is how good the Louisiana defensive tackle group is in 2026. Stewart’s at the top, but [autotag]Richard Anderson[/autotag], [autotag]Dylan Berymon[/autotag] and [autotag]Darryus McKinley[/autotag] are three more top 300 prospects that LSU won’t have to go far to get.

Davis was able to turn around LSU’s offensive line after he capitalized on a strong 2022 Louisiana class that included [autotag]Will Campbell[/autotag] and [autotag]Emery Jones Jr.[/autotag]. The 2026 class can have a similar impact on the defensive side for [autotag]Bo Davis[/autotag].

The 2026 cycle has barely begun, but if LSU seizes on the momentum of 2025, it will be another special group. Kelly landed top 10 classes in 2023 and 2024. He came to LSU to work with this caliber of talent.

But there’s a difference between a top-five class and a top-two or three class. Top-five classes keep you in contention, but top-three classes allow you to compete with Georgia. That’s where Kelly and LSU look to be headed.

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LSU leads the way in Cole Cubelic’s SEC offensive line rankings

LSU’s offensive line could be the team’s biggest strength this fall.

Former Auburn offensive lineman and current [autotag]SEC Network[/autotag] analyst [autotag]Cole Cubelic[/autotag] recently ranked the top offensive lines in the SEC.

The LSU Tigers are No. 1 on his board followed by Georgia, Texas, Tennessee and Missouri. When you look at LSU’s offensive line, there are two huge reasons why the Tigers are sitting at No. 1 on Cubelic’s list. Those reasons? [autotag]Will Campbell[/autotag] and [autotag]Emery Jones Jr.[/autotag].

Campbell and Jones are two of the top five offensive tackle prospects for the 2025 NFL draft with Campbell being the No. 1 offensive tackle and one of the top five overall draft prospects.

Combine those two guys with three other solid offensive linemen and the talent that LSU has on the offensive side of the ball and you have a recipe for what could be one of the best offenses in the country this fall. [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] and the Tigers offense will try to lead [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] to his third straight 10-win season on the Bayou.

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Watch LSU All-America candidate Will Campbell put up a monster squat

Check out Will Campbell casually squatting 616 pounds.

LSU loses a lot of pieces on offense this season, but the unit is still widely expected to be one of the league’s best.

A major reason for that is an offensive line that returns four of five starters from a Joe Moore Award finalist group in 2023. That unit is anchored by left tackle [autotag]Will Campbell[/autotag], a top 2025 draft prospect and one of the best offensive linemen in the entire country.

Campbell is expected to do big things as a junior this fall and is considered to have a First Team All-American ceiling. He’s certainly putting in the offseason work as he was spotted squatting an unbelievable 616 pounds in a video posted from the official LSU football X account.

Campbell is a former five-star prospect and two-year starter for the Tigers. He was a First Team All-SEC selection last fall, and he could be even better as he protects quarterback Garrett Nussmeier’s blind side this season.

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LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell a top 5 player in College Football 25

Will Campbell is the No. 2 player in the highly anticipated video game.

EASports recently released the rankings of the top 100 players in the upcoming College Football 25 video game. [autotag]Will Campbell[/autotag] found his name in the top 10 overall.

Campbell is the No.2 overall player in the game with a 96 overall rating. His highest attributes are his 94 overall strength and his 97 overall awareness. Campbell has recently been ranked as the No. 1 overall offensive tackle in the [autotag]2025 NFL Draft[/autotag] Class by PFF and he has proven to be one of the best athletes in the country.

Campbell came in as a freshman and made an instant impact on the Bayou. He played and started in 13 out of 14 total games in 2022 and he played and started in all 13 games last season for the Tigers. Before the season began he was honored with the No. 7 patch on his uniform to signify the impact he has had on this team as a leader on and off the field.

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What are LSU OT Will Campbell’s chances of being NFL draft’s top pick in 2025?

Will Campbell could be one of college football’s best players this season.

As LSU enters the 2024 season, its biggest star comes at a bit of a thankless position.

[autotag]Will Campbell[/autotag] has done nothing but dominate in his two-year career, starting from Day 1 as a former five-star and protecting Jayden Daniels’ blindside admirably. Now, he enters what is likely his final season as he’s seen by many as a potential top-five pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

Campbell will almost certainly hear his name called early on Day 1, but what are his chances of being the first player selected? Offensive linemen rarely go first overall, but especially in a class without a clear top quarterback at this point, he could play his way into that spot.

ESPN evaluated his chances to do just that, giving him a 6% chance to go first overall while dubbing him a potential riser.

Predicted chance of going No. 1: 6%

Why he could be the top pick: Campbell will likely be right alongside Banks in the offensive tackle discussion throughout the pre-draft process. At 6-foot-6 and 320 pounds, he is a bigger prospect, though.

With 26 career starts (1,625 snaps), Campbell has been the starter since arriving in Baton Rouge. Playing strictly as a left tackle, he didn’t allow any sacks last season. He’s a true technician at the position, so there isn’t much flash to his game. Campbell just continuously stacks wins in pass protection, showcasing plenty of physical ability as a run-blocker and completely shutting down his matchups week in and week out.

His length will be a question mark, as longer and more sudden edge rushers (guys such as Jared Verse and Dallas Turner) have given him some issues. But most evaluators I’ve spoken with view him as a tackle in the pros, at least right now.

ESPN also included [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] as a potential quarterback longshot, giving him a 1% chance.

After serving as Daniels’ backup the past two seasons, Nussmeier takes over the starter gig for LSU. He has good accuracy and touch down the field.

If Nussmeier were to play himself into that position, it would likely have a lot to do with the projection offered by Campbell. Only time will tell how high these two go, but they’re seeing very real pro hype.

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PFF has 2 LSU Tigers among top 10 offensive tackles in 2025 NFL draft class

LSU boasts what could be the top offensive tackle duo in the country this fall.

It’s never too early to start thinking about the [autotag]2025 NFL draft[/autotag] and ranking future prospects. Pro Football Focus has done just that as they have ranked the top tackles of the 2025 NFL draft class.

Two Tigers have made the top 10 of the rankings. [autotag]Will Campbell[/autotag] and [autotag]Emery Jones[/autotag] were both recognized. Campbell and Jones Jr. have been the anchors of the Tigers’ offensive line for the past two seasons on the Bayou.

Campbell has become one of the biggest leaders on the team. Last season he earned the famed No. 7 patch to wear on his uniform. He was a Joe Moore Award finalist and a First Team All-SEC selection by the SEC coaches in 2023.

Jones Jr. earned Second-Team All-SEC honors from the SEC coaches in 2023 and was a key to keeping [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] on his feet last fall. Both of these guys are entering their Junior seasons this fall and will be eligible for the next NFL draft.

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LSU’s Will Campbell, Emery Jones lead Phil Steele’s preseason college football offensive tackle rankings

LSU could have the nation’s best offensive line in 2024, and the tackle spots are a major reason for it.

LSU has a lot of new pieces on offense after [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag], [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] all moved on to the next level. However, there’s one position we know won’t be a question mark, and it’s the offensive tackle.

[autotag]Will Campbell[/autotag] anchors what is arguably the best offensive line in the country entering the 2024 season at left tackle, and the former five-star recruit and two-year starter could find himself as a top-five pick in next year’s draft. Playing opposite Campbell is [autotag]Emery Jones[/autotag], a fellow 2022 recruit who has helmed the right tackle spot the last two seasons.

Phil Steele ranked the top 25 offensive tackles in college football ahead of the 2024 season, and Campbell and Jones topped the list at No. 1 and 2, respectively.

Both are considered possible first-round picks in 2025, and they’ll make things easier on new quarterback [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag], who should have plenty of time in the pocket to show off his gunslinging tendencies this season.

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