Jun 3, 2025; Woodland Hills, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay during organized team activities at Rams Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Does Rams Rookie Standout Have Chance To Make Roster?

Originally posted on Los Angeles Rams on SI
By Fernando Alfaro-Donis | Last updated Aug 22, 2025 2:00 PM ET

The Los Angeles Rams' undefeated streak in the preseason is a result of how well this team is coached, as well as a testament to how effective the Rams' front office is at identifying talent. Every year, they seem to find a player that teams have passed up on and make the most of them.

One of their brightest stars in Puka Nacua, was drafted in the fifth round, and he made sure to stick it to all the teams that passed up on him by being one of the best wide recei vers in the NFL and massively outplaying his draft position.

However, even then, at least Nacua was drafted. There are some players whose dreams of getting their name called during the NFL draft don't happen, and they must prove to teams in the preseason that they are worthy of a spot on a roster.

This is what happened to Willie Lampkin, an undersized center who was an undrafted free agent that the Rams took a flyer on. He looked like one of the biggest steals in the draft after his performance in week one of the preseason. Unfortunately, he suffered an ankle sprain that threatens his job security on the team.

Will He Make the Team?

Mason Cameron is a sports writer for Pro Football Focus, and he published an article detailing the biggest standouts from each position so far in the preseason. Lampkin is the sole representative for the Rams, as his performance before the injury was one of the best in the preseason.

"After being passed over in this year’s draft due to his limited size, Willie Lampkin stepped into the preseason looking to prove he can compete at the pro level. He’s done just that. His 94.1 PFF overall grade in Week 1 of the preseason was the second-highest single-game grade posted by an offensive lineman this year", said Cameron.

While his size was the reason he was passed up on, he's been able to use that to his advantage. His low center of gravity negates any bull rushes from opposing defenders, and he can easily access below the pads, which means he can block any spin moves or other ways of the defender getting to the quarterback.

"While he struggled a bit in the run game the following week, he’s proven to be a capable pass protector throughout the process, having allowed zero pressures across 16 pass sets at both guard and center".

His injury is a serious derailment of his hopes of making the final roster for the Rams, but I believe he's shown enough to earn the respect of Sean McVay and the rest of the Rams coaching staff.

They're dealing with an injury already on the offensive line with Alaric Jackson, and their pass protection has been identified as their biggest weakness. Even if Lampkin is out for a couple of weeks, he's worth a roster spot for a team trying to find ways to protect their veteran quarterback.

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This article first appeared on Los Angeles Rams on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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