LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell told reporters this past Saturday at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis that he was going to run the 40-yard dash faster than people expected to, and he delivered.
Campbell (6-6, 319) clocked in at 4.98 seconds and was one of five O-lineman who ran the 40 in under 5 seconds. One of the biggest questions among draft analysts about the 2024 consensus All-American is if he will play tackle or guard at the pro level because of his arm length (32-5/8).
"I think that I've shown everything I need to on tape to show that I can play tackle at an elite level," he said. "You can go look at my tape, there's not one play on there that when I get beat, you say, 'Oh, that's because he has shorter arms.' Obviously I don't have stereotypical offensive tackle arm length. I'm aware of that and that's something that I use every week to game plan and prepare how to attack different defenders."
The Monroe, LA, native started all 38 games he played for the Tigers over the last three seasons. Growing up, he admired Andrew Whitworth, who grew up in West Monroe, LA, and went to LSU.
"Any O-lineman out of the 318, that's the guy that you look up to," Campbell said. "Him, Cam Robinson, other guys of that stature. But when I was in high school, the guy that I really looked up to that was in college at the time was Penei Sewell."
See top images of the top offensive line prospects working out and attending at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
Texas offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr. participates in a drill during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Kathryn Riley/NFL)
Ohio State offensive lineman Donovan Jackson participates in a drill during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Brooke Sutton/NFL)
Alabama offensive lineman Tyler Booker participates in a drill during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Kathryn Riley/NFL)
North Dakota State offensive lineman Grey Zabel participates in a drill during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Brooke Sutton/NFL)
Minnesota offensive lineman Aireontae Ersery participates in a drill during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Kathryn Riley/NFL)
Alabama offensive lineman Tyler Booker participates in a drill during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Kathryn Riley/NFL)
Minnesota offensive lineman Aireontae Ersery participates in a drill during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Kathryn Riley/NFL)
Alabama offensive lineman Tyler Booker participates in a drill during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Kathryn Riley/NFL)
LSU offensive lineman Emery Jones Jr. participates in a drill during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Kathryn Riley/NFL)
LSU offensive lineman Emery Jones Jr. participates in a drill during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Kathryn Riley/NFL)
North Dakota State offensive lineman Grey Zabel participates in a drill during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Kathryn Riley/NFL)
North Dakota State offensive lineman Grey Zabel participates in a drill during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Kathryn Riley/NFL)
Missouri offensive lineman Armand Membou participates in a drill during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Brooke Sutton/NFL)
Texas offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr. participates in a drill during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Kathryn Riley/NFL)
Georgia offensive lineman Jared Wilson runs the 40-yard dash during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Kathryn Riley/NFL)
Texas offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr. runs the 40 yard dash during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Brooke Sutton/NFL)
LSU offensive lineman Will Campbell participates in a drill during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Kathryn Riley/NFL)
LSU offensive lineman Will Campbell participates in a drill during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Brooke Sutton/NFL)
LSU offensive lineman Will Campbell runs the 40-yard dash during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Kathryn Riley/NFL)
Ohio State offensive lineman Donovan Jackson participates in a drill during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Brooke Sutton/NFL)
Ohio State offensive lineman Josh Simmons speaks during a press conference at the NFL football scouting combine Saturday, March 1, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Ohio State offensive lineman Donovan Jackson speaks during a press conference at the NFL football scouting combine Saturday, March 1, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Arizona offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea poses for a photo during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Kathryn Riley/NFL)
Arizona offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea participates in a drill during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Kathryn Riley/NFL)
West Virginia offensive lineman Wyatt Milum runs the 40-yard dash during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Kathryn Riley/NFL)
Arizona offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea participates in a drill during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Kathryn Riley/NFL)
West Virginia offensive lineman Wyatt Milum participates in a drill during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Brooke Sutton/NFL)
West Virginia offensive lineman Wyatt Milum participates in a drill during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Kathryn Riley/NFL)
Missouri offensive lineman Armand Membou participates in a drill during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Kathryn Riley/NFL)
Minnesota offensive lineman Aireontae Ersery poses for a photo during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Brooke Sutton/NFL)
Oregon offensive lineman Josh Conerly Jr. participates in a drill during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Kathryn Riley/NFL)
Oregon offensive lineman Josh Conerly Jr. participates in a drill during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Kathryn Riley/NFL)
Oregon offensive lineman Josh Conerly Jr. participates in a drill during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Brooke Sutton/NFL)
Missouri offensive lineman Armand Membou participates in a drill during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Kathryn Riley/NFL)
Checked Box Off the Field
While the on-field drills and testing receive most of the publicity at the Combine, the medical evaluations are equally, if not, more important. Such was the case for Ohio State T Josh Simmons (6-5, 317), who told reporters this past Saturday his rehab for his torn patellar tendon, sustained in October, is ahead of schedule.
"We're making a lot of good progress," he said. "Way ahead of a schedule, so I'll probably get cut loose mid-April to give everybody a good pro day."
Simmons, a San Diego native, played his first two collegiate seasons at San Diego State before his final two at OSU. He feels he took a big jump from the 2023 season to '24 because of his improved confidence.
"I was just going above and beyond with my preparation," he said. "That way when I went to the field, it was just kind of like filling in the test that you already knew the answers."
Late Bloomer
Missouri T Armand Membou was a late bloomer in the football world. He started playing in eighth grade, began his freshman year at Lee's Summit North High School in Missouri at 5-11, 185 before a growth spurt. Membou was 6-3, 270 as a junior.
"I remember back my junior year I started getting offers, my high school coach, he sat me down and said, 'Hey I think if you take this seriously, I think you can be a pro,' " Membou said at the Combine this past Saturday.
Like Will Campbell, Membou was one of five offensive linemen with a sub 5-seocnd 40-yard dash (4.91) with mixed projections on if he would play guard or tackle in the pros.
"I think most teams think I have the ability to play tackle, but still some flexibility and want to see if I can play guard," he said. … "It doesn't matter. Just suit me up."
Knocked Down, Up Again
With a high school background of playing running back and on the offensive and defensive line, Oregon T Josh Conerly (6-5, 311) takes pride in being a cerebral player.
"I feel like the more you know out on the field, it allows me to play more comfortably," he said this past Saturday in Indianapolis. "When things were called, it allowed me to understand why we were calling them. … I spent a lot of time with the quarterbacks, just understanding their thought process and where they go over the ball, why they make certain checks."
Conerly, who met with the Jets at the Combine, protected the blindside of two Heisman Trophy finalists -- Bo Nix, the No. 12 overall pick in 2024, and Dillon Gabriel. He and Gabriel, like Nix, participated in this year's Senior Bowl. Conerly had a strong week in Mobile, AL, but went viral for losing a 1-on-1 rep to projected first-round edge rusher Mike Green while lining up at right tackle, a position Conerly never played.
"This is the game of football," he said. "Everybody gets got and I got got. Simple as that. I've been in that situation. No matter what, you have to get back up and keep fighting, you know what I mean?"
