As the Los Angeles Rams kick off their 2025 training camp, all eyes are turning to a player few outside NFL draft circles had on their radar: undrafted rookie interior lineman Willie Lampkin. The Rams have in Lampkin one of the more interesting prospects from the entire 2025 class. To a man, everyone believed Lampkin was an elite player in college, one of the best offensive lineman in football. Also to a man, everyone believed Lampkin was too small for the NFL. Depending on how his game translates, Lampkin’s arrival could be one of the offseason’s best moves for a rapidly ascending L.A. roster.
Let’s start with the positive. After starting at Coastal Carolina and finishing at North Carolina, Lampkin put together one of the most productive, consistent resumes seen from any interior offensive lineman in recent memory. NFL.com’s scouting report said he had “the best tape I’ve studied of any prospect in the 2025 draft” for run blocking. The best tape in the draft and he’s undrafted? Now that would be a steal.
What set him apart? The NFL.com scouting report noted his combination of exceptional hand placement, leverage, footwork, and finish. He wasn’t just gritty; he was athletic, quick, disciplined. Lampkin had demonstrated NFL-caliber skill across all “three phases” of offensive line play, especially as a run blocker.
It’s not just the tape and scouts who are high on Lampkin’s performance. The data explicitly shows how dominant of player he is as well. When comparing his 2024 performance to top interior offensive linemen taken in the first, second, and third rounds this year, Lampkin isn’t just competitive, he’s better. In Pro Football Focus grades, his run blocking is head and shoulders above first-rounder Tyler Booker and other early selections, and his pass protection is just as strong or better than those picks.
Normally for undrafted free agents, you have to comb deep into advanced analytics to find a trait or two the prospect excels at. That’s not the case here. Lampkin’s basic film and analytics are flat out better than blue-chip prospects expected to start Day 1.
Add to that an astonishing 4,000+ collegiate snaps, blowing away the experience levels of other top interior linemen. Experience at that level means not only did Lampkin play against big-time competition (in the ACC), but he did so consistently, year in and year out. Also, as a transfer, he also showed the maturity and adaptability. He proved he could adjust to new systems and teammates without missing a beat.
Of course, there remains the big question: can a sub-six-foot, sub-300-pound interior lineman carve out a real NFL career? AT 5’10” and weighing 270 pounds Lampkin is well below the standard dimensions of an NFL lineman. That being said, there is precedent for smaller lineman. Players like Aaron Brewer (Titans, 6’1”, 290) and Hall of Famer Jason Kelce (who entered the NFL at 280 pounds) overcame similar knocks on size.
More importantly, the Rams’ coaches and conservative front office haven’t let size blind them to on-field ability. In the end, better football players win football games and Lampkin is simply a better football player than many celebrated draft picks this year.
His proven ability as a run blocker, reliability in pass protection, and off-the-charts experience make him a unique asset in an offensive line room still solidifying its depth. The Rams’ ability to see past “old-school” size concerns may have netted the franchise one of the top underdog stories of 2025. He may be relatively unknown now, but if his college performance and athletic profile translate even partially to the pro game, he could soon become a household name in L.A.
Disclaimer: The content of this article was originally published as a YouTube video on the Saturday Morning Inspection YouTube channel. With AI assistance, the publisher of the video created this article based on the content of that video.
