Early injuries paves way for 5 Rams to make a statement at training camp

I: This Cougars CB Is ready to pounce on the opportunity

Washington State Cam Lampkin is not a household name. But he may soon be. He is the other Cougars defender who joined the Rams roster with outside linebacker Brennan Jackson, and his collegiate experience brings some intriguing qualities to the secondary. Standing 5-foot-11 and weighing 176 pounds, Lampkin is one of those under-the-radar players who nobody really notices even being on the roster until he starts making great plays.

And then, suddenly everyone is talking about him.

Lampkin, as seems to be the case for many rookies in 2024, played three seasons for Utah State before transferring to compete with Washington State for his final two seasons of college football. While he seemed to regress a bit in his first season with Washington State in 2022, he rebounded nicely in 2023 as he adjusted to defending some of the NCAA's top quarterbacks and receivers.

Why he could move into a major role in secondary

While not heavily scouted, Lampkin is one of the hidden gems who competed successfully against college football's stiffest competition. While he is not a ball-hawking cornerback, he is amazingly effective at denying completions. In fact, as a member of the Washington State Cougars secondary, he held opposing receivers to less than a 50 percent completion rate.

And that includes facing USC QB Caleb Williams, Washington QB Michael Penix, and Oregon QB Bo Nix. That background cannot be replicated by many defensive backs who are competing for a roster spot.

I was so impressed by Lampkin that I already featured him in his own article long before injuries broke out and impacted the secondary. With the new opportunities, Cam Lampkin is set up to show up in a big way for this team.

Why he may miss the mark of major role in secondary

Despite 34 tackles and eigh pass breakups in 2023, Lampkin is still a rookie defensive back trying to make a positive impression on the coaching staff, get plenty of reps, and ultimately earn a roster spot and playing time. While I am high on the young rookie, there is not a lot of news from training camp so far about Cam Lampkin.

Lampkin, like other rookies on this list, may simply not be grounded enough with his role and responsibility with this defense to make a major push to move up the depth chart. And perhaps he is not truly ready to do so, yet.

Conclusion

Cam Lampkin is the fierce tough-as-nails competitor who oftentimes surprises fans by stepping into the spotlight at a time like this and shocking everyone. Unfortunately, this could be a bit too early for the young rookie to make a move. I believe that Cam Lampkin will impress, but this may be a bit too early in training camp to set such lofty expectations.

Where does that leave the secondary?

As injuries began to mount at cornerback, we made our suggestions of five free agents who could be signed to reinforce this Rams roster. The team opted to sign a former Lions cornerback who flashes the entire range of possibilities. Now we have illustrated five options on the roster currently who could take advantage of this situation and climb the team's depth chart.

Keep in mind that while the frequency of injuries are alarming, Darious Williams is expected to be ready to play in Week 1. Only Derion Kendrick's season is lost.

The Rams secondary, and defense, is still in very good shape. Younger and less experienced defensive backs will simply get more reps in training camp as a result.

As always, thanks for reading.