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USA Today
10-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
5 undrafted rookies who could stand out for the Rams this summer
5 undrafted rookies who could stand out for the Rams this summer The Los Angeles Rams added 17 undrafted free agents after the draft this year, bringing in a wealth of young talent to compete for the final roster spots on the team. They're a team that often has at least one undrafted rookie make the team each year and this season shouldn't be any different. Among their undrafted rookies are an All-American linebacker and a dominant guard who's shockingly undersized, but both of them have a chance to make the 53-man squad this fall. Here are five UDFAs who could stand out in practice this summer when the Rams move into minicamp and training camp. LB Shaun Dolac Dolac was one of the best linebackers in the country last season, leading the FBS with 168 tackles as a consensus All-American. He also had 6.5 sacks and five interceptions, doing it all for Buffalo. He has physical limitations from a size and speed perspective, but the linebacker group is wide open for the Rams so he'll have a chance to stand out during minicamp and training camp. The Rams gave him $25,000 guaranteed, the second-most among their undrafted rookies, so they clearly liked him out of Buffalo. OL Willie Lampkin Lampkin earned $30,000 guaranteed from the Rams as an undrafted rookie, the most in LA's class. He's a former Jacobs Blocking Trophy winner as the ACC's best blocker, dominating on the interior for the North Carolina Tar Heels. He gave up zero sacks and only eight pressures all of last season, so he was excellent in pass protection. The Rams are fairly deep at guard and center but Lampkin will have a chance to make the 53-man roster if he can overcome the fact that he's only 5-foot-10 and 270 pounds – severely undersized by NFL standards. OL Trey Wedig Wedig hails from Indiana and brings with him a 6-foot-6 and 310-pound frame. He has the ability to play either guard or tackle, which will only help his chances of making the Rams' roster because of how much value they punt into versatile linemen. Last season, he had the eighth-best run-blocking grade of any offensive tackle who played at least 500 snaps, so the potential is there for him to make it in the NFL. S Malik Dixon-Williams You don't need to be a high draft pick to make the Rams' roster as a safety, as evidenced by Jordan Fuller, Quentin Lake and undrafted free agent Jaylen McCollough. Dixon-Williams is an athletic safety with a 40.5-inch vertical but his ball skills and instincts are what will make him a player to watch in training camp. Kamren Kinchens, Kamren Curl and McCollough are atop the depth chart, with Lake playing more of a nickel role, so Dixon-Williams could be the fourth safety when it's all said and done. WR Mario Williams Williams is a smaller receiver at only 5-foot-9 but he's incredibly quick and can contribute on special teams as a returner. Behind Davante Adams, Puka Nacua, Tutu Atwell and Jordan Whittington, there's a lot of room for shuffling at wide receiver. The Rams won't be afraid to keep an undersized wideout like Williams after keeping Xavier Smith and other smaller receivers on the roster over the years, so if he makes enough plays in practice, the opportunity will be there for him to take. Follow Rams Wire on X, Facebook and Threads for more coverage!
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NFL Legend Andrew Whitworth Gives Advice to Patriots' Will Campbell
NFL Legend Andrew Whitworth Gives Advice to Patriots' Will Campbell originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Upon closer observation of Andrew Whitworth's and Will Campbell's backgrounds, it does not come as a shock that the two have developed a strong bond. Advertisement Whitworth and Campbell grew up in Monroe, Louisiana, which is just under 200 miles from the state capital of Baton Rouge, where they both played college football at LSU. They even played the majority of their collegiate snaps at the same position: left tackle. Over the years, the two have engaged in continuous conversation, as Whitworth saw Campbell continue on an upward trajectory that strongly mirrored his own, and Campbell looked up to Whitworth as both a mentor and friend. "I've been in those shoes. So, I think it's important, when you've been there, to give a little love back," Whitworth told Sean T. McGuire. "That's really the dynamic of our relationship. We're from the same place. We've got a lot of respect for each other." Whitworth has remained close to Campbell as he transitions into the next stage of his career, and he offered some advice to Campbell before the New England Patriots youngster begins his journey in the professional ranks. Advertisement "I think one of the biggest things for all young athletes is to continue to be yourself," Whitworth said. "What makes you special? Don't lose sight of that." New England Patriots offensive tackle Will Campbell (66) speaks to the media after rookie camp at Gillette Canha-Imagn Images Whitworth added that he believes Campbell's new surroundings will allow him to succeed on and off the field early in his career. "When you look at Gillette [Stadium], and you look at that setup in Foxborough, that is Monroe and West Monroe, Louisiana, on a much bigger scale," Whitworth said. "The colors, the environment, the setting in the middle of the community... I mean, that is really what the Patriots are in that environment. So, that sense of pride and that element that he's going to be in is going to remind him a lot of playing in North Louisiana." Advertisement Campbell, who the Patriots selected with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, signed a four-year, $43.66 million contract with the team on Tuesday. $28.39 million of that contract was guaranteed as a signing bonus. Campbell was a Consensus All-American, All-SEC First Teamer, and winner of the Jacobs Blocking Trophy (which is awarded annually to the top offensive lineman in the SEC) in his final collegiate season with the Tigers. Related: Patriots Rookie RB Treveyon Henderson Compared to Lions Star Jahmyr Gibbs This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
28-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
2 of Rams UDFAs named among best non-picked players from 2025 NFL Draft
2 of Rams UDFAs named among best non-picked players from 2025 NFL Draft The Los Angeles Rams added six players in the 2025 NFL Draft, but also signed a few undrafted free agents as well to bring to camps throughout the summer. They'll compete with the rest of the team for roster spots, and a few might even make the final 53-man roster. The Rams have had a lot of success with undrafted players recently. Alaric Jackson went undrafted in 2021 and has been the team's starting left tackle for two and a half seasons. Omar Speights went undrafted in 2024 and is now poised to be L.A.'s starting inside linebacker. It's too early to know if any of the 2025 UDFAs will make names for themselves on the Rams, but Athlon Sports' Doug Farrar thinks L.A. snagged two of the best in Buffalo linebacker Shaun Dolac and North Carolina offensive lineman Willie Lampkin. Dolac led the Mid-American Conference in solo tackles (82), assisted tackles (86), tackles for a loss (19) and interceptions (five). His 177 interception return yards even led the FBS. Two years ago in 2022, Dulac's 97 solo tackles led the country and his three forced fumbles led the MAC. His 6-foot-1 and 221-pound frame is a bit smaller for an inside linebacker, but Dolac certainly has the production and experience to stand out. Lampkin is another undersized player at 5-foot-11 and 279 pounds. He played right guard in 2024 but also saw snaps at center and left guard. Lampkin began his career at Coastal Carolina for three seasons before he plated the past two at UNC, where he won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy as the top offensive lineman in the ACC. Both should have a good opportunity to prove their worth this summer. And given the Rams' affinity for UDFAs, there's chance they could find a role on the team.
USA Today
25-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
5 things to know about Saints first round draft pick Kelvin Banks Jr.
5 things to know about Saints first round draft pick Kelvin Banks Jr. There was some thought the New Orleans Saints could have moved down in the 2025 NFL draft, but they didn't budge. The Saints stood pat, surveyed the field, and picked one of the best players in the entire draft class. But why are we so high on Kelvin Banks Jr.? The former Texas Longhorns left tackle is a highly-regarded prospect whose presence will allow the Saints to field their five best offensive linemen, wherever they might be deployed to play their best. And he has some stories to tell. Here's what you need to know about Kelvin Banks Jr.: 1. He's an award winner Banks racked up the accolades at Texas. He was an All-American in each of his three years at Austin and won both the Lombardi Award and the Outland Trophy (presented to the best offensive or defensive lineman in college football), as well as the Jacobs Blocking Trophy (awarded to the SEC's best blocker) in 2024. That says a lot about not just his skills, but his work ethic and the recognition he's earned as a leader for the Longhorns. 2. He's a two-time captain, too Speaking of leadership? Banks was twice selected as a team captain at Texas, first as a sophomore in 2023 and again as a junior in 2024. He's someone coaches have often pointed to as a high-character pillar of the locker room. Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian has been effusive in praise for his former left tackle. He's been quoted repeatedly this spring as having told younger players "if you want to be great, be like Kelvin Banks." 3. But he hasn't been blocking for as long as you'd think Banks grew up playing a lot of different sports, but while he was in youth football since he was just 4 years old, he mainly played quarterback and halfback. He remained at the skills positions until his freshman year of high school. A year later he was starting on varsity in 2019. Then he rocketed up the recruiting boards. He's been playing left tackle ever since, but his clean and consistent pass protection technique would have you thinking he's spent more than seven years in his stance. 4. Banks learned a whole lot in a little bit of time How's this for a combination of age and experience? Banks just turned 21 on March 10, making him one of the youngest players in the NFL this season. But he started all 42 games he played at Texas, totaling almost 2,800 snaps in his college career. Even if he's young, Banks is hardly raw. He was a key piece of several College Football Playoff teams and will bring that valuable experience to New Orleans, whether he stays at left tackle or slides inside to left guard. 5. And he's been playing for his family Few guys have the kind of motivation that's powered Banks to success. Last September he opened up about his personal life in an outstanding feature with Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger, where Banks shared details about his mother Monica's life-threatening medical issues. With his father "Big Kelvin" supporting the family as a commercial big rig driver and Banks away at college, he poured himself into his craft. Now he's reached the sport's highest level of competition, and he knows his family is cheering him on.
Forbes
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Will Campbell Became An ‘Easy Pick' For Mike Vrabel's Patriots
The New England Patriots selected former LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell with the No. 4 overall ... More pick in the 2025 NFL draft. (Photo by) The projection became the reality for the New England Patriots in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft. Will Campbell was on the board at No. 4 overall. And now, the former LSU offensive tackle is on board as the initial selection of Mike Vrabel's tenure. 'That's how the board fell. That's kind of how we anticipated it going for quite a while, and that's kind of where we targeted,' the first-year Patriots head coach told reporters during his Thursday night press conference. 'We had some conversations to make sure that we were prepared for those situations that we talked about a few weeks ago and prior to the draft that we went through. This was a very, very easy pick for us.' After Miami's Cam Ward went to the Tennessee Titans, Colorado's Travis Hunter went to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Penn State's Abdul Carter went to the New York Giants, the war room in Foxborough went to its consensus. 'We love his football character, his play demeanor, his play style, how coachable he is,' Vrabel said of Campbell, a Lombardi Award finalist who wore a No. 7 patch on his Tigers jersey as the most impactful playmaker from the state of Louisiana. 'A 21-year-old player that's started 38 games in the SEC is something that is impressive.' And consecutively. The first offensive lineman picked, Campbell's collegiate career began with Freshman All-American honors in 2022. He went on to serve as a two-time captain for the LSU front, twice earning first-team All-SEC honors and finishing as a consensus first-team All-American and co-recipient of the conference's Jacobs Blocking Trophy as a junior last fall. The tenure in Baton Rouge spanned 2,548 snaps at left tackle, according to Pro Football Focus, and only four sacks allowed. But the draft process brought questions about whether Campbell would remain on the blindside at the next level. He will for a team needing an answer at that premium position in front of quarterback Drake Maye. 'Yeah, I mean, that's where he started,' Vrabel said. 'He's a left tackle. That's what he's played. That's what he's done. So, he'll come in here and he'll compete to be the left tackle just like everybody else is going to compete for their spots. That's what we're trying to create here, something that there's competition at every position and our players believe that the best players are going to play.' At 6-foot-6, 319 pounds, Campbell clocked the 40-yard dash in 4.98 seconds at the NFL Scouting Combine, including a 10-yard split of 1.76 seconds. A 32-inch vertical and a 9-foot-5 broad jump arrived while at Lucas Oil Stadium. All those marks placed him in rarefied air at the position. But while there, his arm length measured 32 5/8 inches and his wingspan measured 77 3/8 inches. Those marks placed him in the 21st percentile and the seventh percentile, respectively, among offensive line prospects in the MockDraftable archives. The Patriots focused on the body of work. 'Everybody has a play style. Everybody has a skillset,' Vrabel said of Campbell, whose arms measured 33 inches upon a recheck at LSU's pro day. 'And it's what you do within that skillset and the tricks that you learn in this business and how you play and how you do your job. And so, I think he's learned a lot of those to play on the left side and pass protect. For a taller player, he sinks his hips in the run game and is able to stay attached in the pass game and widen the pocket and create the width of the pocket and get out on the perimeter.' Campbell took a '30' visit to Gillette Stadium. It was followed by a workout in Louisiana that included the likes of executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf, vice president of player personnel Ryan Cowden and Vrabel. That helped cement New England's decision at No. 4. 'I'll just tell you this: When we went down to work him out, he showed up with one purpose, and that was for us to pick him,' Vrabel added. 'From the time that we walked in the building to the time that we left and got on the plane, he had one objective. And that was to prove to us that he was the right player for us.'
