- Tez Johnson showed off his ability to beat press coverage: The Oregon wideout consistently separated against press coverage despite weighing only 156 pounds.
- Willie Lampkin more than held his own: The North Carolina guard had a strong performance at the Senior Bowl despite measuring as one of the smallest offensive linemen in recent memory.
- 2025 NFL Draft season is here: Try PFF’s best-in-class Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2025’s top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team.
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“The first guy off the bus” is often used to describe a team’s most physically imposing player. In that case, Oregon wide receiver Tez Johnson and North Carolina interior offensive lineman Willie Lampkin could be characterized as the last guys off the bus. And yet, they are two of the biggest standouts from 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl practices so far.
Johnson measured at 5-foot-9 and 156 pounds at the Senior Bowl. That makes him the third-lightest wide receiver prospect ever, just 1 pound heavier than Tutu Atwell and Aaron Lockett as prospects. Such a slight frame would normally hinder a wide receiver in press coverage. That’s compounded when the cornerback is one of the better press-man defenders in the 2025 NFL Draft. But Johnson thrived in that situation against Florida State’s Azareye’h Thomas, as his superb release package and route running were on full display.
It’s nothing new for Johnson, whose 91.8% separation rate since joining Oregon in 2023 places him in the 100th percentile among FBS wide receivers. When isolating his targets to single-coverage situations, Johnson’s 74.2% separation rate over the past two years ranks in the 92nd percentile.
Willie Lampkin, meanwhile, entered the Senior Bowl at 5-foot-10 and 270 pounds — 3 inches shorter than any offensive line prospect ever and the second-lowest weight. He didn’t let that size preclude him from dominating for the Tar Heels this past season. Among Power Four guards, the senior ranked first in PFF overall grade (84.8) and PFF pass-blocking grade (88.8) and placed second in PFF run-blocking grade (85.5).
He backed those grades up in Mobile, Alabama, with impressive reps against some of the draft’s best defensive tackles, including Kentucky’s Deone Walker and Ole Miss’ Walter Nolen.
Keep in mind that Walker is 9 inches taller and 70 pounds heavier than Lampkin, and Nolen is 5 inches taller and 23 pounds heavier.
While Johnson and Lampkin likely won’t meet NFL teams’ size thresholds, they still proved they’re more than worthy of an NFL opportunity due to their excellent tape and strong performances in the Senior Bowl.
