Will Lampkin get the chance to succeed?
University of North Carolina interior offensive lineman Willie Lampkin is going to be absolutely fascinating to follow at the NFL level.
He is an undeniably effective lineman on the field who very rarely loses his match-ups. However, he also falls far outside the NFL’s usual range for height and weight for an offensive lineman.
But one of the enduring lessons from scouting is that size is not a skill set. Size is a trait, and how prospects make use of their traits often determines their success (or failure) in the NFL. Players who fall outside of the NFL’s usual parameters can often turn their unusual traits into potent advantages if their team is willing to take a chance.
Which team will give Lampkin the chance to show what he can do in the NFL?
Prospect: Willie Lampkin (53)
Games Watched: vs. Miami (2023), vs. Clemson (2023), vs. Minnesota (2024), vs. Virginia (2024)
Measurables
Height: 5-foot 10⅜ inches
Weight: 270 pounds
Arm length: 32 inches
Hand size: 10⅜ inches
Strengths
Best traits
- Leverage
- Quickness
- Agility
- Competitive toughness
- Play strength
Lampkin is a compact bowling ball of a guard who’s an absolute leverage monster with plus quickness and agility, as well as solid play strength.
He has a very unorthodox build at 5-foot 10 ⅜ inches, 270 pounds, but he uses his short stature to play with consistently excellent leverage. That allows him to maximize his play strength and consistently match up against, stalemate, and beat defenders who are half a foot and 50 pounds heavier. Lampkin combines that height with a very wide base – his feet are often nearly as wide as his height when anchoring – to make him very difficult to move.
Lampkin has great feet to go with solid quickness and agility, and uses his feet well to mitigate bull rushes. He uses short, choppy steps to position himself well to counter defenders while always putting himself in position to anchor or re-anchor. His footwork allows him to mirror athletic rushers on the interior, easily redirecting to pick up stunts, twists, or late pressure.
He is a solid – if not dominant – run blocker and is able to execute both man and zone blocking schemes. Lampkin plays with great competitive toughness to sustain his blocks and he’s willing to block multiple defenders over the course of the play.
Lampkin is an experienced player who spent three years at Coastal Carolina University before transferring to North Carolina, and that experience shows itself in how he responds on the field. Lampkin is rarely surprised by pressure packages, and also understands how to position himself to maximize his leverage. He understands how to use half-man leverage to seal off running lanes, as well as cut off rushers to maintain the integrity of the pocket. He also understands how to use his hands independently and there are even instances of him blocking two defenders at the same time.
His quickness could also lend itself to center at the next level. Lampkin was asked to play center at the Senior Bowl and comported himself well.
Weaknesses
Worst traits
- Size
- Length
- Long speed
Lampkin’s size will be a serious problem for many teams and his height and weight will likely have him off many teams’ boards – or at least graded as a priority free agent – regardless of how he plays on the field.
His size (or extreme lack thereof) does show up on the rare occasions when he loses the leverage battle. For the most part, his size shows up in the run game as he lacks the strength or mass to consistently drive defenders off the ball.
Lampkin will also need to polish his hand usage to succeed in the NFL. He also lacks speed over any kind of distance, which limits him as a pulling lineman or when climbing to the second level.
Game Tape
(Lampkin is the UNC right guard wearing number 53)
Projection
Lampkin plays like a legitimately high-upside Day 2 selection, however he’s so far from the NFL archetype for a guard or center that it’s difficult to see him being drafted before the third day.
It isn’t unheard of for a player who defies the NFL’s conventions to be drafted highly and be a good player. However, there’s a selection bias in place that makes it difficult for severely undersized players to get the chance to prove that they can excel.
I suspect Lampkin will have to wait until the third day of the draft to hear his name called. However, I also believe that – like Ivan Pace Jr. – he will not only make the 53-man roster of the team that drafts him but emerge as a good starter at guard or center.
He could be one of the steals of the draft.
Does he fit the Giants?
Probably not, though not due to his play on the field.
Final Word: A likely Day 3 pick with “steal” upside
