Former Neville High School and LSU standout Will Campbell has a major milestone ahead on Thursday, April 24. The offensive lineman is on the verge of becoming just the sixth player from a local high school to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.
For Campbell and his family, the moment feels almost unreal.
“It’s really surreal watching his dreams unfold,” said his mother, Holly Campbell.
Though Campbell is now known as a dominant force in the trenches, he didn’t start out that way. In his early football days, he played running back and even called himself “Jerome Bettis Jr.” He once told his father, Brian Campbell, “Dad, I’m not doing that. That looks boring,” when asked about playing on the offensive line.
But it became clear that blocking was his calling. As he grew—eventually filling out size 17 cleats—college recruiters began to take notice. His high school coach remembered his rare athleticism for a lineman, saying Campbell had “a 36-inch vertical” and impressive agility.
Campbell rose to become Louisiana’s top prospect and chose to stay close to home, playing for LSU. He became a cornerstone of the Tigers’ offensive line, starting as a freshman and giving up just five sacks over 2,553 snaps during his three-year college career.
His father, Brian, shared his disbelief at how far Will has come. “I was just hoping he’d start by his junior year and get a free education. Never in my wildest dreams did I think we’d be headed to the draft and sitting in the green room.”
For Will, the draft is just the beginning.
“It’s a short-lived moment. It’ll be a short night, a quick night,” he said. “Then the real work starts.”
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