What does it take to change an athlete’s essence? Being told that you’re not big enough or you’re not good enough would break down any athlete and make them question their ability to be successful in their given sport. The latest example of this narrowed-minded thinking is the case of North Carolina offensive guard Willie Lampkin.
At 5-foot-10, 270 pounds, Lampkin is indeed small compared to prototypical guards in the NFL; about 5 inches shorter and 40 pounds lighter. He came to the Carolinas, first at Coastal Carolina and then to UNC at Chapel Hill, by way of Lakeland, Florida.
A 2-sport star at Lakeland High School, Lampkin played football and was a state champion wrestler for the Dreadnaughts. As is often the case, success in one sport breeds success in the other.
Lampkin was the king of the wrestling mat, posting an undefeated 47-0 record as a senior and earning the 2A State Championship in the 285-pound weight class.
Proving people wrong has been a full-time job for Lampkin during his athletic career. After being told he was too small, Lampkin relished the chance to show coaches what he was capable of. After each audition, coaches stood with their mouths agape.
One benefit of wrestling is toughness, an attribute that one must possess before they step on the mat, or the gridiron. Lampkin has played through injuries and coaches could not pull him off the field. If he could move under his power and was breathing, Lampkin was going to play.
As it turns out, his size and wrestling skills have proven to be his biggest assets. Lampkin’s low center of gravity allows for good balance and leverage. Lampkin keeps his feet moving to drive defenders backward about 10 yards. He has narrow hand placement with a strong grip that bigger defenders find difficult to overcome.
Pro Football Focus has graded Lampkin at 81.3 in run blocking and 99.1 in pass blocking after earning first-team Associated Press All-American honors in 2024. In addition, Lampkin won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy last season as the most outstanding blocker in the ACC. Lampkin started 26 games in two seasons with the Tar Heels.
It will be interesting to see if any NFL teams take a chance on a young man who does nothing but achieve at a high level. Lampkin has proven that he belongs on a football field destroying bigger defenders with pancake blocks, just like he pinned 47 straight opponents to win a state championship back in Lakeland. Will he get a call on draft day? Stay tuned sports fans.