The Los Angeles Rams have been buzzing about undrafted rookie offensive lineman Willie Lampkin IV all summer. Unfortunately, his momentum was cut short on Saturday against the Chargers, when he left the game early in the fourth quarter with an ankle and knee injury.
Head coach Sean McVay confirmed Tuesday that Lampkin will miss “a few weeks.” “He got a bad ankle sprain,” McVay explained. “He’s so tough. It’s kind of a knee and an ankle. He got his, I think it was his PCL. He’s so damn tough, and so it’ll be a few weeks for him.”
The timing couldn’t be worse for the 23-year-old rookie. With NFL rosters set to be trimmed to 53 players by August 26, Lampkin won’t get another chance to prove himself in practice or preseason games before final decisions are made.
Rams Rookie Willie Lampkin Sidelined by Injury, But Preseason Emergence Leaves Lasting Impression
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That’s particularly frustrating given how strong his preseason debut was. Against the Cowboys, Lampkin dominated in limited snaps at center, drawing praise across the league. He was the Rams’ highest-graded player by Pro Football Focus, and his highlight reel even made it to the NFL’s official social channels after he delivered four pancake blocks in a single outing.
NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger, in one of his trademark “Baldy’s Breakdowns,” raved about Lampkin’s physicality. “He just put the Cowboys in an octagon and he destroyed them all game long,” Baldinger said. “Like, pancakes are being served. Throw some butter on it, whip it with syrup, serve it for breakfast, serve it for lunch, serve it for dinner. The Cowboys never want to see this guy again.”
Lampkin’s rise has been remarkable given his unconventional profile. At just under 5-foot-11 and around 270 pounds, he is drastically smaller than the typical NFL lineman. That size caused him to go undrafted this spring despite an impressive career at North Carolina, where he was a first-team All-American and winner of the Jacobs Blocking Trophy as the ACC’s top offensive lineman. He allowed zero sacks in his final two years with the Tar Heels, relying on his natural leverage, physicality, and wrestling background to neutralize bigger defenders.
McVay was among those impressed with the rookie’s early impact. “Obviously, he has great leverage, can get underneath people and be able to finish,” the coach said after Lampkin’s preseason debut. “That was what you loved about him at North Carolina, but just a competitor. He’s tough, he’s physical. He understands how to play to his strengths.”
Whether Lampkin’s initial performance will be enough to secure a roster spot now remains uncertain. Missing valuable practice and game reps during the final weeks of the preseason makes his path more challenging, but his play has already forced the Rams to take notice.
For a player considered “too small” to block NFL defenders, Lampkin has already proven he belongs. Injury has put his journey on hold, but his brief time on the field showed the kind of grit and skill that could make him a hidden gem in Los Angeles.
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