For some draft prospects, the most important segment of the NFL Scouting Combine is the measurements. Teams have various measurable thresholds for each position. If a prospect fails to meet one or multiple of these thresholds, it could lower their draft stock and/or force them to change positions.
As highlighted pre-combine by Jets X-Factor’s Ian Roddy, offensive lineman Will Campbell was among the prospects whose measurements were under the most scrutiny entering the 2025 combine. The standout left tackle from LSU is currently ranked as the No. 6 overall prospect and No. 1 offensive lineman on NFL Mock Draft Database’s consensus big board.
While Campbell was a dominant blindside protector in college, his tape raised concerns about his length, which is widely viewed as a vital trait for NFL tackles. Thus, going into the combine, Campbell’s arm length measurement was expected to be a major turning point in his draft stock.
On Sunday, Campbell’s measurements from the combine were revealed, and the news is not ideal for his draft stock. According to NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, Campbell’s arms measured in at 32⅝ inches. That puts him in the 7th percentile among tackles, per Mockdraftable. It is well below the 34-inch threshold that most teams use for NFL tackles.
While this does not necessarily eliminate Campbell from playing tackle at the NFL level, it certainly amplifies the concerns about whether he is better suited as a tackle or guard in the pros. And if a wide number of teams are now leaning toward the latter, it will lower his draft stock.
That could be important news for the New York Jets, who have been considered a potential landing spot for Campbell. He is the third-most commonly mocked player to the Jets with the seventh overall pick, per NFL Mock Draft Database.
The Jets have a vacancy at right tackle, which is what puts Campbell on their radar in the top 10. However, if Campbell’s arm length measurement relegates him to the guard position in New York’s eyes, it would eliminate him as a realistic option for the Jets at No. 7 overall. Guards are viewed as less valuable than tackles, so they rarely go in the top 10 unless a truly generational prospect comes along. Plus, the Jets already have their two starting guards secured for 2025 (John Simpson and Alijah Vera-Tucker).
There is reason to believe that New York is one of the teams that will view Campbell’s arm length as concerning enough to downgrade him to a guard prospect. Jets general manager Darren Mougey is on record speaking about the value of measurable thresholds in the draft process.
“One of the more important parts of the evaluation process is each player’s measurables,” Mougey said in a 2021 docuseries chronicling the Broncos’ pre-draft process. “Being height, weight, speed, hand, arm, length, all those things. Each position has a threshold. Kind of a cutoff line. If his speed is below this, he’s probably not going to make it, or we’ll definitely have to downgrade him. Or if his size or length is below this, we’re going to have downgrade him.”
However, Mougey acknowledged that it in some cases, it is unwise to overvalue numbers when a prospect has built a tremendous track record on film. He emphasized the importance of balancing the two sides.
“With that being said, you don’t want to weight [measurables] too much. Some of these kids have three years, good body of work on film, and they’re good football players. How much do we want to ding them because they’re a tenth of a second slower than another guy? And that may be subjective, but it’s always going to take a role and play a part in it, and have its weight. How much weight that is, I think it depends by player/position.”
It remains to be seen where Mougey lands on the philosophical spectrum as a GM. Based on his background and prior comments, it does not seem like he leans too far in either direction. As a former NFL player with years of scouting experience, he’s no “analytics guy,” but he has shown signs of valuing the quantifiable side of the equation. Going forward, we can learn a lot about Mougey’s decision-making philosophy by studying his approach with prospects like Campbell.
