Turf Show Times
Practice squad offers the likely ceiling for this year’s group
Entering preseason workouts, the Los Angeles Rams open with 10 offensive linemen returning from last season. The group includes all five starters and the return an 11th (Coleman Shelton) that racked up 30 starts for L.A. in 2022 and 23. To stock up the offensive line room to their usual preseason number of 15, the Rams signed Willie Lampkin (North Carolina), Trey Wedig (Indiana), Wyatt Bowles (Utah State) and Ben Dooley (Boise State) as undrafted free agents.
How will the newcomers fare? Any possibilities? Or just camp bodies battling for an open practice squad slot, or two?
Pro Day: 1.76/5.21 forty 4.70 3cone 23.5 vert 9’ 6” broad 18 bench
23 year-old, former three-star recruit. After leaving high school with state championships in football and as a heavyweight wrestler, Lampkin signed with Coastal Carolina. He was a Day 1 starter and spent three seasons with the Chanticleers, starting all 38 games. In fact, Lampkin has started every game (62) of his five year college career. After leaving CCU with storage locker full of awards, it was on to North Carolina for 24 starts and more accolades. Stellar interior versatility with 26 starts at left guard, 21 on the right, and 14 at center.
His wrestling lineage is front and center on tape, Lampkin is highly skilled at getting position and applying leverage. He has the strength to latch on and torque defenders and although it’s not explosive, he stays attached, sustains blocks very well, and keeps his feet moving to drive defenders. His punch is adequate, when he stays inside and latches on, it’s for good, but he can miss and grab outside of the shoulders. Sets a solid base in pass protection and with his shorter arms is more apt to absorb contact and take hold rather than extend and lock up. Although his testing numbers point to mediocre athleticism, Lampkin has nifty feet and “phone booth” body control. He moves fluidly to the second level and out into space.
A very tough projection. It doesn’t take a lot of research to find that Lampkin was a darling of draftniks, with high-profile pundits claiming, even before the draft, that he was of starting grade. He has excellent tape against good competition and was a standout in Senior Bowl workouts. And more importantly, he’s the Rams kind, a 100% effort and a team-first guy. Still, there reasons why it’s so hard to project him into the NFL and a role with the Rams. There have been successful small players, but scant few at his height and weight. His arm length is fine in everyday life, but a shortcoming in the pro game and he’s not a plus athlete, nor freakishly strong, It also happens that the Rams are quite deep at center and guard.
