Has Patriots First-Round Draft Pick Already Been Decided?

The New England Patriots appeared headed for the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft numerous times this past season, but thanks to a win over the Buffalo Bills in their season finale, they slipped to fourth.

The Patriots can still land a terrific player at No. 4, but the chances of them being able to bag one of Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter have certainly dipped.

However, there are plenty of other talented players New England can grab, and Chad Graff of The Athletic has identified one of them as the "heavy favorite" to be selected by the Pats on Day 1: LSU Tigers offensive tackle Will Campbell.

"The Patriots’ biggest need is clearly left tackle," Graff wrote. "Discussion will persist for a few more weeks about Campbell’s short arms and wingspan, which could cloud his outlook as a long-term left tackle. But coach Mike Vrabel was pretty clear last week that he viewed Campbell as capable of playing on the outside."

Campbell would likely be the safest pick for the Patriots if neither Hunter nor Carter are available, and an argument can actually be mad that he would actually represent the most sensible selection regardless.

New England had what was probably the worst offensive line in football in 2024, and it hasn't done a whole lot to repair it outside of signing right tackle Morgan Moses in free agency.

Keeping Drake Maye upright should be one of the primary concerns of the Pats heading into the draft, and Campbell seems to be the best offensive lineman on the board.

Would Campbell be an exciting pick? No, but it's not about being flashy: it's about making the best choice for the team moving forward, and it stands to reason that the Patriots would regret not snatching Campbell at No. 4.