An undersized, All-American center whose promising rookie preseason was cut short by injury.
Willie Lampkin has made a career out of proving his 5-foot-11 frame is no obstacle, first at North Carolina and then in the pros. He signed with the Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2025 and was claimed by the Eagles after final cuts, only to lose his rookie season to injury.
Path to the league
Lampkin began his college career at Coastal Carolina before transferring to North Carolina, where he became one of the top offensive linemen in the country. He signed with the Los Angeles Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2025 and was claimed by the Philadelphia Eagles off waivers after roster cutdown day.
Career highlights
Lampkin earned first-team All-American honors in 2024 at North Carolina, a rare achievement for a lineman of his size. During Rams preseason action, Pro Football Focus graded him as the top rookie offensive lineman in the league, playing both guard and center.
2025 season recap
Lampkin suffered a leg injury in the preseason and opened the regular season on injured reserve. The Eagles opened his 21-day practice window in early November but did not activate him to the 53-man roster, and he reverted to injured reserve for the remainder of the season without appearing in a regular-season game.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Willie Lampkin
- ESPN: Willie Lampkin
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Center
- Group
- offense
- College
- North Carolina
- Hometown
- Lakeland, FL, USA
- Age
- 24
- Status
- active
