The San Francisco 49ers are clearly focused on the draft to properly restock their roster this offseason. Somewhere on the draft radar is the offensive line, and within that a potential successor for left tackle Trent Williams could be on the radar. If the board falls a certain way, said successor for the future Hall of Famer could be procured in the first round at No. 11 overall.
Before the NFL Combine, LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell was easily forecasted as a possible top-10 (or even top-five) pick. Then his arms came in at 32 and 5/8-inches long, which is less than the perceived ideal 34 inches for an NFL offensive tackle.
Campbell has had the proper response to concerns about his arm length all along, including when he was asked about it at LSU’s Pro Day. His arms were measured at 33 inches long that day.
“For two years, nobody had any measurements on me, and nobody said anything about my play”, Campbell said. “So now, all of a sudden, arm length decides if I’m a good player or not? I think it’s BS. Any decision makers in the NFL, they don’t really care. It’s all people who don’t coach, and they don’t coach for a reason.”
Will Campbell on his arm length.
“For two years, nobody had any measurements on me, and nobody said anything about my play. So now, all of a sudden, arm length decides if I’m a good player or not? I think it’s BS. Any decision makers in the NFL, they don’t really care. It’s all… pic.twitter.com/fosB9pfSPu
— Savage (@SavageSports_) March 26, 2025
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently compiled insight from NFL scouts and executives about the most polarizing prospects in this year’s draft. Campbell is of course among them, and two people who were quoted about him hit the perfect notes:
“He’s going to be awesome — All-Pro caliber guard, and if he’s a tackle, he will be better than at least half the tackles in the NFL right off the bat,” a high-ranking personnel evaluator with an NFC team said. “Captain, started every game, instinctive. Don’t overthink it.”
“Added an NFC personnel man: “It’s a concern that limits his ability in some way, and he gets beat on the inside edge a little bit. But he knows how to play. It’s not like, ‘Oh my gosh, I can’t draft him because of arm length.'”
“Don’t overthink it” perfectly sums up the flimsy concerns about Campbell’s arm length. But there will be teams who do overthink it.
49ers seen as perfect match for Will Campbell by PFF draft analyst
Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus did not mince words to name Campbell as a perfect fit for the 49ers.
“I love Will Campbell for the San Francisco 49ers,” Sikkema said…”You could put Will Campbell in at left guard immediately. He could play next to Trent Williams for you and then for however much longer Trent Williams plays, and then Will Campbell might be able to take over at left tackle once Trent Williams is done.”
“Campbell, most importantly, has the athleticism, which we saw at the combine, to be able to play in Shanahan’s versatile run scheme, but mainly one that will ask you to play and block mid-and-outside zone. I think this is a scheme fit. This is a short-term fit and this is a long-term fit.”
Sikkema mentioned the loss of left guard Aaron Banks for the 49ers in free agency, and it seems like a void Campbell could fill immediately while being unofficially anointed as Williams’ possible successor.
Will Campbell is the perfect fit for Kyle Shanahan’s offense with the 49ers pic.twitter.com/MghaWkP48g
— PFF (@PFF) April 8, 2025
If Campbell falls to the 49ers at No. 11 they should, as Grant Cohn of SI.com suggested, “run to the podium and pick him.” If it comes to it, a trade up to get him shouldn’t be totally ruled out.
