How did Will Campbell’s rookie season compare to rookie seasons of recent All Pro LT’s

How did his rookie season, pre-injury, compare to the rookie seasons of all-pro left tackles of the last 10 years.

I had grok, ChatGPT, and Gemini compare.

*Charts weren’t copied and pasted over because of formatting issues here

Grok:

quote:

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Will Campbell, the Patriots’ No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, started all 12 regular-season games he appeared in at left tackle as a rookie before his Week 12 knee injury (a Grade 3 MCL sprain that involved a torn ligament). He missed Weeks 13-17, returned for Week 18, and started all four playoff games, including Super Bowl LX. His overall PFF grade for the 2025 season was 72.6 (32nd among 89 qualified tackles, including both left and right), with a pass-blocking grade of 76.1 (23rd among 89 qualified tackles) and a run-blocking grade of 67.2 (46th among 89 qualified tackles). He allowed 51 pressures and 4 sacks in the regular season across 780 snaps (mostly at LT), escalating to 29 pressures and 4 sacks in the playoffs.

Before his injury (Weeks 1-12), Campbell performed strongly for a rookie, earning praise as one of the top first-year linemen in protective stats. Early-season evaluations (e.g., after four games) gave him a B+ grade from Bleacher Report, noting he allowed zero hurries in two of his last three games at that point and showed Pro Bowl potential. He was a key part of the Patriots’ improved offensive line, which helped fuel their surprising Super Bowl run, and ranked among the league’s better rookie tackles in pass protection efficiency (low pressure rate in isolated matchups) and overall fundamentals.

After returning from injury, Campbell was not the same player, admitting he wasn’t 100% healthy but refusing to use it as an excuse. His performance declined noticeably, particularly in the playoffs, where he allowed the most pressures of any lineman in a single postseason (29) since Next Gen Stats tracking began in 2016. This culminated in Super Bowl LX, where he surrendered a season-worst 14 pressures (the highest by any player in any 2025 game, regular season or playoffs) and contributed to QB Drake Maye facing heavy duress. Post-injury, his pass-blocking efficiency dropped, and he ranked near the bottom among qualified tackles in playoff pass-block win rate (83.6%, 29th out of 30).

Comparing Campbell’s rookie season to those of AP First-Team All-Pro left tackles from 2016-2025 (Tyron Smith in 2016, Andrew Whitworth in 2017, David Bakhtiari in 2018-2020, Trent Williams in 2021-2024, and Garett Bolles in 2025), his overall performance stacks up favorably or better than several, especially considering his pre-injury form and the Patriots’ team success. Many of these All-Pros had uneven or outright poor rookie years before developing into elites:

• Tyron Smith (2011 rookie, Cowboys): Started at right tackle (moved to LT in Year 2), allowed 6 sacks and 10 penalties over 16 games. PFF overall grade: 71.2 (middling among tackles). Solid run blocker but inconsistent in pass protection early on.

• Andrew Whitworth (2006 rookie, Bengals): Started at left guard (moved to LT in Year 2), allowed 5 sacks and 8 penalties in 12 games. PFF overall grade: 68.4. Reliable but not dominant as a rookie, with holding issues.

• David Bakhtiari (2013 rookie, Packers): Started at LT from Week 3 onward, allowed 7 sacks and 9 penalties in 16 games. PFF overall grade: 71.5 (34th among tackles). Showed promise in pass protection but had technique lapses; similar to Campbell’s pre-injury level.

• Trent Williams (2010 rookie, Washington): Started all 14 games at LT, allowed 6 sacks and 9 penalties. PFF overall grade: 73.8 (around 25th-30th among tackles). Athletic and physical but raw, with holding penalties; comparable to Campbell’s full-season output.

• Garett Bolles (2017 rookie, Broncos): Started all 16 games at LT, allowed 5 sacks but a league-high 15 penalties (many holdings). PFF overall grade: 49.7 (dead last among qualified tackles). Struggled immensely with technique and discipline, far worse than Campbell’s 72.6.

Overall, Campbell’s rookie year (pre-injury excellence followed by a post-injury dip) aligns with the developmental arc of these All-Pros, who often needed 1-2 seasons to refine their skills. His 72.6 PFF grade exceeds Bolles’ rookie mark and is on par with or better than Bakhtiari’s and Smith’s, though his playoff regression highlights areas like quick-pressure resistance for improvement. Unlike some (e.g., Bolles’ penalty-prone start), Campbell showed immediate starter-caliber play before the injury, suggesting a high ceiling if he regains full health.

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