Under the Radar @ 23: G/T Forrest Lamp - Western Kentucky

G/T - Forrest Lamp - 6'4 300 lbs - Western Kentucky
As we all know, the Giants need major help along the offensive line. T Ryan Ramczyk would be a nice pick, but I'm not sure he will last past the tackle hungry Denver Broncos at 20. Plus, he is having hip surgery so who knows what his medicals will say. T Cam Robinson has left tackle ability, but has some off field issues.

Forrest Lamp has excelled at left tackle for Western Kentucky. In the highlight link below, you will see how well he played vs Alabama. From all the scouting reports I've read and linked to this post, it sounds like his best position is at Guard in the NFL, with the flexibility of playing LT if need be.

I think this is the kind of player the Giants need. He isn't the sexy pick or the well known player, but he is an outstanding football player.

Take him at 23 and plug him at RG for the next decade, and who knows, maybe he could be the answer at LT too.

Forrest Lamp (WKU OT) vs Alabama 2016

Here is a scouting report prior to the start of the season:

Quote:

Forrest Lamp – Western Kentucky (6’4”, 300) Forrest Lamp has been a mainstay for the Hilltoppers since his first game. He started off at RG for 3 games before being moved to LT and he’s been there ever since (36 consecutive starts on the blindside). Dependable and durable as they come, only allowing 11 pressures (and zero sacks) on 529 pass protection snaps. Lamp is a player that seems to be under the radar at the moment but he’s a very impressive prospect. Lamp was a 2015 favorite of the guys at Pro Football Focus. With a similar build to 2016 2nd round pick Cody Whitehair, many will be tempted to peg him as a guard. Lamp does seem to lack a little bit of length but it isn’t a death sentence with the way he plays. He possesses plenty of power in his hands and his consistent hand placement allows him to exert that snap after snap. He’s athletic enough to keep speed rushers at bay but has a steady anchor to deal with power equally as effectively. As a run blocker, he’s not a pure technician but he displays a mean streak a mile wide. He gets to the 2nd level in a timely fashion and identifies the nearest threat correctly more often than not. Doesn’t often struggle to move head-on defenders in the run game. He might be a great guard prospect but I feel he can play tackle to a high level.

Here is a scouting report from a Jets fan site:

Quote:

Positives Built like a wall Moves fluidly Gets to the 2nd level smoothly Very good knee bend Uses his upper body strength to maintain spacing Very aggressive Has played well against top tier talent Could be very versatile along the O-line Effective at opening up running lanes Negatives Lacks ideal arm length Moving him inside could nullify some of his best qualities Conclusion In a year where offensive tackle is looked at as a desert of talent, Forrest Lamp poses some interesting questions for talent evaluators. Lamp is looked at by most draft scouts as one of the top guard prospects. It makes sense when you look at him. His prototypical box shape and aggressive mentality make him a great fit for the inside. On the other hand, he has been one of the best left tackles in college football for the last two seasons. Sure, he plays for Western Kentucky instead of a power 5 team, but he has performed well against power 5 talent. In a year where Alabama edge rushers have embarrassed every o-line they went against, Lamp held his own. Lamp owns one of the better kick slides I have seen, and is very fluid in his movements. He possesses all the technical skills to survive at tackle. If you move him inside to guard, these skills will go to waste. Forrest is a very versatile prospect that could make a big impact for an o-line hungry team like the Jets. We need two new tackles, and possibly a new right guard and center. If we are without Ryan Clady, Brian Winters, Nick Mangold and Breno Giacomini, a moveable piece like Lamp could make a lot of sense. Draft Round Prediction: Round 2

NFL Draft Scouting Report: Forrest Lamp - ( New Window )