Rams bring in four undrafted rookie offensive linemen

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?

Meet the Candidates

Willie Lampkin – North Carolina 5’ 11” 279 lb. 31 1/2” arms 10 5/8” hands

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.

Trey Wedig – Indiana 6’ 7” 313 lb. 33.5” arms 10” hands

Pro Day: 1.71/5.26 forty 7.90 shuttle 4.90 3cone 31” vert 8’ 11” broad 17 bench

Transferred to Indiana for his final season and started all 13 games for the Hoosiers at right tackle. Pro Football Focus gave him an 85.7 score. Wedig played his first four years at Wisconsin after being a four-star recruit. For the Badgers, he played in 35 games with eight starts.

Played in Indiana’s up tempo, run-heavy offense with a quick trigger pass game. Wedig has prototypical tackle size, but only adequate length. He lacks athleticism and needs an upgrade in play strength for the pro game. Good run blocker, not particularly a physical style, mostly of the screen off variety, he doesn’t show the power to drive defenders out of the hole. Good feet for reach blocks and timing on/off combo’s. Smooth linear mover to the second level and out into space, but struggles laterally and change of direction.

Inconsistent is best descriptor for his pass blocking, starting with his punch. When he strikes inside and latches on, he can control rushers. Too often, he misses or ends up outside on the shoulders, giving up his chest. HIs hand/foot technique is pretty good when he’s head up on a foe, but is slow reacting/recovering to the outside rush and because of limited lateral agility, ends up ducking his head and reaching. Although he sets a wide base, his lower body strength struggles against bullrushes.

Wedig has good film against good competition, showing good run block potential, but needs pass blocking work. During his Wisconsin years, he showed the versatility for guard/tackle. Hard to project him as a possible future starter, but after a year building up his play strength, a reserve swing role could be within reach.

Ben Dooley – Boise State 6’ 5” 300 lb. 32 1/4” arms 10 1/4” hands

Pro Day: 1.83/5.28 forty 7.94 shuttle 4.93 3cone 25 vert 9’ 6” broad 20 bench

Three-star recruit, didn’t play high school football until his junior year. Was a Nevada state wrestling champion. Spent six season’s at Boise State. After his redshirt and freshman season’s, Dooley started 38 of 42 games over his final four, 25 at left guard, nine at right guard, and four at right tackle. Missed the last half of 2022 and early 2023 with an ankle injury.

Dooley needs to improve his hand work for a move to the next level. Too often late getting his hands into position to control and steer defenders. It looks like he’d prefer to lean a body on them. Doing this, he ducks his head and leans, getting off balance, losing power and leverage. He slides off or misses more than he should. Slightly heavy-footed, he can move on pull’s and off combos adequately, but is not a great striker in space. In pass pro, he sets a good base and holds his ground, but again, needs to engage those arms, his lack of length will really show when matched against longer, stronger, quicker pro’s.

Since he blocked for Ashton Jeanty, there’s plenty of Dooley on tape. In theory, signing and developing a lineman who blocked for the nation’s best runner makes sense, but watching games versus better competition (Oregon, LasVegas), he’s obviously a long term project.

Wyatt Bowles – Utah State 6’ 5” 306 lb. 31 1/2” arms 9 1/8” hands

Pro Day: 1.75/5.11 forty 7.75 shuttle 4.70 3cone 26.5 vert 9’ broad 21 bench

Older prospect leaves college as a seventh-year senior. Bowles didn’t gain much traction at Utah State in his first five years, he only saw special teams action in 28 games, struggling with two redshirts (one for injury), COVID19 issues, and rehabbing other assorted injuries. In his final two seasons, he worked his way into a starting left guard role, garnering 20 starts out of 24 games.

Bowles has a well put together frame with room for more mass, but his arm length is quite short for the pro game. There’s some athleticism to build on, good feet, change of direction, and short area agility. Good first step and fluid in movement to second level and out on screens. Throws a jarring punch and hand fights well. Plays with an edge. Sets a wide base, but to hold up against pro defensive tackles with those short arms, he will need better lower body strength.

Bowles faces long odds and how he acclimates to the step up in competition will be his key to a practice squad berth. but effort and physicality are his current ticket. He was used as a blocking tight end in a few college games, if you were going to wish a prospect a role, Bowles might be interesting as a fullback or tight end in short yardage situations.

Any difference makers?

Interestingly enough, L.A. didn’t bring in any serious reinforcements at tackle, the position that appears the thinnest heading into the 2025 season. These four additions all project to be interior players, where the Rams seem deepest.

Trey Wedig has the frame for tackle, but has some heavy feet and his base doesn’t appear stout enough yet to hold up on the edge. Most draft experts think a move inside is in his best interests. Although Willie Lampkin is easy to root for and has been a productive player at every level, for a player of his stature to be a successful pro, I’ll have to see it to believe it. Wyatt Bowles has some buildable traits and an ornery play style. Dooley offers some versatility, but doesn’t really show an outstanding trait. Both need a year of play strength work.

At this early point, practice squad appears the ceiling for this group.