CHAPEL HILL – One thing about Howard Sampson jumps out at anyone who takes a gander at him.
“He’s huge,” fellow North Carolina offensive lineman Willie Lampkin said.
An offensive tackle working with the first team this past spring on the left side for the Tar Heels, Sampson and Trevyon Green bookending UNC’s o-line even impressed legendary coach Mack Brown by their sheer size. And he’s seen some big ’uns up front during his five decades in the spot.
“I mean, 6-8 and 335; coming off the bus, he looks good,” Brown said, before referencing a comment his wife made. “You put he and Trey Green, walk them in first. Sally said, ‘at least we’d look pretty.’”
Sampson’s size is one reason UNC showed interest after he entered the portal last December following two seasons at North Texas. Also, he was recruited there by current Carolina offensive line coach Randy Clements, who at the time held the same post with the Mean Green.
The familiarity helped. UNC being a noteworthy power conference school did, too. And so did the opportunity, and that Sampson wanted to go somewhere that would have patience in his development. He even called himself a “project” when assessing how he would approach going to UNC.
“Honestly, it’s still a working process, taking it one day at a time,” Sampson said before spring practice started. “If the opportunity comes, I’m going to take full advantage of it, but one day at a time.
“I’m still young, I still got a lot to learn and I’m willing to learn.”
Fast forward a couple of months and Sampson surprised everybody in the program. He wasn’t as much a project as he thought, after all.
“The first thing I think that sticks out is his size,” UNC offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey said. “His length. He’s 6-8 and 300-and-whatever-30 pounds, and to be as athletic as he is to be that size, that’s been unbelievably impressive. It surprised me.
“You watch him get out and run on the screens, you watch him pass (protect). Very impressive. He’s long.”
As long as Sampson’s broad body is, he’s short on experience. And that he played little at a G5 school is probably why nobody thought twice about his project remarks.
A 3-star prospect in high school, among Sampson’s noteworthy offers were from Texas Tech. Texas State and some FCS schools. That’s it.
He appeared in two games at UNT, getting 44 snaps, including 39 against UAB. He graded out at 76.8 combined in the two games.
In 40 run block plays, Sampson earned a 73.9 grade. In 43 pass block snaps, he earned a 75.2 grade, allowing two sacks and no other hurries. Sampson played left tackle for all 83 snaps. He played four snaps in 2022 and took a redshirt. So, he has three years of eligibility with the Tar Heels.
“His experience is a little thin,” Lindsey said. “He had an injury last year with an ankle. I really like where he is.”
As for transitioning to a more prominent role at the college level while it also being at a P4 school, nothing could possibly test Sampson while preparing him more than having to deal with trying to block Kaimon Rucker on every pass play. Or Des Evans. Or Beau Atkinson. And so on.
But that was Sampson’s task for most of spring practice, especially with Rucker, who was among the ACC’s leaders in sacks with 8.5 a year ago, though he had surgery and missed the last several practices.
Still, Sampson got a healthy taste and did pretty well.
“He’s been blocking Kaimon Rucker every day,” Brown said in mid-April. “And that will make you better, or make you quit.”
Sampson didn’t quit, he simply kept surprising people. So, when teammates now look at him, they see someone who is more than simply massive. They see a football player showing out and growing his game as each day passes.
