Thursday, October 1, 2026
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Willie Lampkin is the type of offensive lineman the Eagles love to bet on - an overlooked, undersized underdog. And if there's one thing we know, it's that Philly loves underdogs.
There isn’t much mystery about why Lampkin was overlooked.
He’s 5-foot-11 and around 290 pounds. For an NFL offensive lineman, that’s small. But when one watches him play, the size becomes a little less important.
Lampkin wins with leverage, footwork, balance, hand placement, and getting underneath the pads of defensive linemen. He plays lower than everyone he faces, and that is when his wrestling background shows up. He uses angles, unorthodox positioning, and unleashes a nasty streak.
Relentless and determined is probably the best way I can describe him.
He doesn’t play like a guy who knows he’s undersized. He plays like he knows that his size doesn’t matter, and so far in camp he is confirming that.
Some talent evaluators believed Lampkin was one of the better run blockers in the 2025 draft class. The Eagles obviously saw enough on tape to overlook the measurements.
The Eagles saw enough on tape to overlook the size, and many scouts during the draft process believed he was one of the best run blockers of the 2025 class.
So far, he is proving that at training camp. The Eagles are hoping that his talent continues to translate against NFL competition.
Philadelphia has a track record of developing underdogs.
Jason Kelce wasn’t built like the traditional NFL center, but in the near future he will be wearing a gold jacket.
Jordan Mailata was a rugby player who had never played football; now he is one of the most dominant LTs in the game.
Lampkin's current teammate, Cam Jurgens, had to make the transition to center after playing guard at Nebraska, and tight end prior to that. Minus the injury bug, he has been thriving.
Philly has never been afraid to bet on traits, and Lampkin continues their gamble on that mold.
This is where the story gets more interesting.
The waiver claim is old news; his draft measurements have been known for some time; the only thing that matters now is how he does at camp.
This summer he’s getting the opportunity to learn in an organization that has made offensive line development one of its biggest strengths. Jeff Stoutland was his coach last season, and now it's Chris Kuper’s job to develop his skill set, not ask him to be somebody else.
He’s going up against top-tier NFL defensive linemen every day, and that’s where you find out if the leverage and quickness that made him successful in college can continue to work at this level.
There are going to be reps where his lack of size shows; that’s inevitable. But there are also going to be reps where his size doesn’t matter because he gets underneath a defender, gets his hands inside, and wins the leverage battle before the bigger player has a chance to use his advantage.
They need him to become the kind of versatile interior lineman they can trust when injuries hit and the season gets long; that is how he can make the roster in 2026.
So far, Head Coach Nick Sirianni has been impressed.
Most teams saw an undersized offensive lineman. Philadelphia saw a player who could play. Other teams saw the measurements; the Eagles saw the production.
I have mentioned many times over the years how the Eagles are an organization that chases traits. Now Lampkin gets to prove them right. That’s what makes him one of the more interesting offensive linemen to watch during training camp.
He doesn’t have the size, draft pedigree, or a traditional NFL body for an OL. What he does have is leverage, quickness, toughness, and a nasty streak. And those things don’t show up on a measuring tape.
The Eagles took a chance on Willie Lampkin because they believed there was more to the player than the measurements. As training camp continues to stack reps, the preseason games will also be his opportunity to show everyone else what Philadelphia saw.
As always, thank you for reading!
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