Will Campbell, a 2025 NFL Draft candidate for the Chicago Bears, brushes off worries about arm length.

Will Campbell, a 2025 NFL Draft Candidate for the Chicago Bears, Brushes Off Worries About Arm Length

The NFL Draft has long been a platform for showcasing talent, where players from all over the country try to make their case to be selected by the league’s top teams. For the Chicago Bears, who are looking to strengthen their roster and continue building around young quarterback Justin Fields, the 2025 NFL Draft presents a crucial opportunity to solidify their future on both sides of the ball. One prospect who has gained attention from the Bears is Will Campbell, an offensive tackle from the University of Alabama. While Campbell is widely regarded as one of the top offensive line prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft, some critics have raised concerns about his arm length. However, Campbell has quickly dismissed these concerns, emphasizing his other attributes and his ability to perform at the highest level.

In this article, we will take a closer look at Will Campbell’s potential as a draft candidate for the Chicago Bears, explore the concerns surrounding his arm length, and analyze how Campbell is addressing them in his pursuit of a career in the NFL. We’ll also examine how the Bears might view Campbell’s skills and what he could bring to their offensive line in the future.

Will Campbell: A Premier Offensive Line Prospect

Will Campbell is widely considered one of the top offensive tackle prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft. Standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing around 320 pounds, Campbell has all the physical traits that NFL scouts covet in an offensive tackle. His size, athleticism, and football IQ make him an intriguing player to watch as he progresses through his college career. Having started for Alabama’s offensive line, which is traditionally one of the best in the country, Campbell has already demonstrated the ability to protect quarterbacks and create running lanes for some of the nation’s top running backs.

Known for his strength and physicality, Campbell is a dominant presence on the field. His quickness off the line of scrimmage allows him to seal edge rushers, and his power allows him to move defenders off the ball with ease. What sets Campbell apart from many other tackles in college football is his ability to combine size with athleticism. His quickness and agility for a player of his size have made him a standout at Alabama, earning him attention from scouts across the league.

While Campbell’s physical tools have never been in question, one area where he has faced criticism is his arm length. Arm length is considered a key measurement for offensive tackles, with longer arms often seen as an advantage when it comes to maintaining separation from pass rushers. Offensive tackles with longer arms can better protect against edge rushers by creating distance and keeping defenders from getting into their bodies. For this reason, Campbell’s arm length has become a topic of discussion among scouts and analysts.

The Arm Length Debate: Why It Matters (And Why It Doesn’t)

Arm length has long been considered a crucial factor in evaluating offensive tackle prospects. In particular, scouts often look at arm length to determine a player’s ability to protect the quarterback, especially in pass protection. The theory is simple: longer arms give an offensive lineman more reach, making it easier to keep defenders at bay and maintain control over them. While arm length isn’t the sole determining factor in a tackle’s success, it’s often seen as an important one, especially against elite pass rushers in the NFL.

For offensive tackles like Will Campbell, a player who is often projected to go early in the first round of the NFL Draft, arm length can be the difference between a top prospect and one who falls to the second round. However, Campbell has not allowed this measurement to become a major distraction in his pursuit of an NFL career. Instead, he has embraced his strengths and emphasized how he can still excel at the position despite having slightly shorter-than-ideal arms for a tackle.

Campbell’s arm length has been reported to measure around 33 inches, which, while not subpar, is considered to be on the shorter side for a left tackle. Many of the top left tackles in the NFL have arm lengths that measure between 34 and 35 inches, giving them an extra advantage when it comes to extending their reach. Despite this, Campbell has remained confident in his abilities and has expressed that his overall skill set and technical proficiency will allow him to overcome any perceived limitations in his arm length.

Campbell’s Response to the Critics

During interviews and media sessions, Will Campbell has repeatedly brushed off the concerns about his arm length. His message is clear: he believes that his strength, technique, and football IQ make up for any shortcomings in arm length. “People can say whatever they want about my arm length, but at the end of the day, it’s about how you perform on the field,” Campbell said in a recent interview. “I’ve been successful against some of the best pass rushers in college football, and I know I have the tools to succeed at the next level.”

Campbell’s confidence is rooted in his performance on the field. As a freshman at Alabama, he immediately earned a starting role and impressed with his ability to neutralize top-tier defensive linemen in the SEC. His combination of physicality and awareness has allowed him to consistently win in both the run and pass game. Rather than rely solely on his length to keep defenders at bay, Campbell uses his strength, quick feet, and hand placement to redirect defenders and control the line of scrimmage.

“I work on my hands and my technique all the time,” Campbell continued. “I don’t want to just be a guy who relies on my arm length to be successful. I want to be known for my hand placement, footwork, and how I engage with defenders. That’s where I win.”

This mentality has not only helped Campbell succeed in college, but it has also helped him stand out as a prospect in a draft class that is deep with talented offensive linemen. Campbell’s approach to improving his craft and focusing on the fundamentals demonstrates the kind of work ethic that will appeal to NFL teams, including the Chicago Bears, who have had their own struggles along the offensive line in recent years.

How the Chicago Bears View Will Campbell’s Potential

For the Chicago Bears, improving the offensive line is one of the top priorities in the coming years. After a disappointing season in which quarterback Justin Fields was often pressured and forced to make plays on the run, the Bears are looking to invest heavily in the trenches. Will Campbell, with his physical attributes and solid foundation as a player, could be an ideal target for the Bears in the 2025 NFL Draft.

The Bears, under general manager Ryan Poles, have been looking for long-term solutions to their offensive line problems. With their rebuilding phase in full swing, they need to find players who can protect Justin Fields, open up running lanes, and provide stability up front. Campbell’s combination of size, strength, and athleticism would make him an appealing option for the Bears at tackle, even if his arm length isn’t ideal.

At the same time, Campbell’s ability to move past the criticism of his arm length shows that he has the kind of mental toughness that NFL teams covet. In a sport where players are often scrutinized for their physical attributes, Campbell’s ability to rise above the noise and focus on what he can control will likely impress scouts and executives alike.

The Bears could look at Campbell as someone who could play either the left or right tackle positions. With a need to bolster both spots, Campbell’s versatility would make him an attractive option. While he’s generally considered a left tackle prospect at the next level, the Bears could view him as a potential plug-and-play starter for either position. His experience against high-caliber SEC pass rushers would also provide him with an advantage as he transitions to the NFL.

The Bigger Picture: Why Arm Length Isn’t Everything

While arm length is a factor that NFL teams often consider when evaluating offensive linemen, it’s important to remember that it’s far from the only trait that matters. In fact, there are numerous examples of successful NFL tackles who didn’t have ideal arm lengths but made up for it with superior technique, footwork, and intelligence. Players like Trent Williams and David Bakhtiari, both of whom have had outstanding careers at left tackle, aren’t known for having exceptionally long arms, but they’ve been among the league’s best due to their overall skills.

In Campbell’s case, his focus on refining his technique — specifically his hand placement, footwork, and ability to redirect defenders — positions him well to succeed, even if his arm length falls slightly short of the prototypical ideal. As one NFL scout put it, “Arm length isn’t everything. It’s about how you use your body to control the defender and how you move your feet. Will has shown he’s capable of doing that.”

Furthermore, NFL teams are increasingly prioritizing the ability to play with leverage, a skill that’s independent of arm length. A tackle who knows how to use his body position to stay low and keep defenders from getting into his frame is often more successful than one who relies solely on long arms. In this sense, Campbell’s approach to the game may be more valuable than simply having the longest wingspan.