Philadelphia Eagles Player Defying Expectations Despite Very Small Stature
Sportsnaut · Andrew Buller-Russ · 2026-08-16T19:13:35+00:00 · nguồn gốc
Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has an eye for talent. Over the years, Roseman has proven that he’s not afraid to take risks, big or small. Some gambles require major payments. Other bets can be much smaller, but that doesn’t mean they can’t still pay large dividends.
Last year, the Eagles took a chance on a prospect with extremely unique size, and this year, that long shot seems to be paying off in a big way.
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Philadelphia Eagles’ Willie Lampkin Generating Rave Reviews
Interior offensive lineman Willie Lampkin was a First-Team All-American at North Carolina in 2024. But the 5-foot-11, 279-pound offensive lineman unsurprisingly went undrafted in 2025. He landed an opportunity with the Los Angeles Rams, but the team released him during the final roster cutdowns due to an injury. Yet, the Eagles noticed what Lampkin put on tape during the preseason with the Rams, and claimed him off waivers the very next day, promptly placing him on injured reserve.
While Lampkin missed his entire rookie season due to injury, the center/guard is healthy again, and as Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith reports, he “continues to impress” during preseason action.
Here’s a clip that’s generated some positive attention for Lampkin online. Here’s him (No. 61) playing center, playing through the whistle while taking down the Baltimore Ravens‘ starting defensive tackle, Broderick Washington Jr. The seventh-year veteran is 6-foot-2, 315 pounds, but Lampkin pushed him back and eliminated Washington from the picture with ease.
Willie Lampkin (61) on 3-15… finish to the echo of the whistle. pic.twitter.com/1jhLO1EDXu
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) August 15, 2026
While the Eagles have 90 players on the roster, Lampkin earned high praise from head coach Nick Sirianni last week before making his preseason debut with Philadelphia.
While players can work on agility, build strength, and become more flexible, there’s no way to add height to their skill set. Lampkin will always be undersized by NFL standards, but that doesn’t mean he can’t outwork his peers or bring better technique to the table. So far, he’s checking every box, but whether that means he’ll have a spot on Philadelphia’s final 53-man roster remains to be seen.
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