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- Mar 19, 2019
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INDIANAPOLIS — CeeDee Lamb is a man who knows the value of hard work.
Relocating to Houston after evacuating from Louisiana during Hurricane Katrina, Lamb learned from a young age that everything that comes to you is earned.
That attitude has driven the former Oklahoma Sooner to being among the cream of the crop in a potentially historic class of wide receivers in the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft.
The guy who helped put Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Jalen Hurts into the Heisman Trophy conversation knew what the results could be from playing with quarterbacks of that caliber.
"My plan was to help them out a lot, and I feel like I did a little bit," Lamb told reporters Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine. "Them guys, they worked their tails off, and I was just trying to match their energy. The production showed itself on the field."
The production that Lamb speaks of — the production that earned Mayfield and Murray the Heisman, and nearly a Biletnikoff Award for Lamb — was off the charts.
Lamb started 39-of-41 games, catching 173 balls for 3,292 yards (19.0 avg.) and 32 touchdowns. He also added nine carries for 20 yards (2.2 avg.) and one touchdown. He was also a dangerous punt returner, taking 54 of them for 475 yards (8.8 avg.). He was named Second-Team All-Big 12 in 2018, and First-Team All-Big 12 and a First-Team All-American in 2019.
According to Oklahoma's athletics website, Lamb burst onto the scene in 2017 with a freshman-record 807 receiving yards. For his Sooners career, he is first in school history in career yards per reception for players with at least 130 receptions. He's also first in catches of 40-plus yards (24) as well as games with 160-plus receiving yards (six). Lamb ranks second in career receiving touchdowns, third in career receiving yards and 100-yard receiving games (14), sixth in career receptions, and 15th in career all-purpose yards (3,799).
The damage he inflicted on defenses was also felt across the country, as he led all non-seniors in career receiving touchdowns and receiving yards.
Lamb's 2019 season was particularly rewarding, as he was second in the country with six games of 135-plus receiving yards. His 21.4 yards per reception ranked third nationally and first in the Big 12, also ranking tops in Oklahoma history in a single season among players with at least 50 receptions. His 14 touchdowns also led the Big 12 and were fifth nationally.
As you can see, Lamb's credentials entering the 2020 NFL Draft in April speak for themselves.
He's a slender guy, measuring in at nearly 6-2 and 198 pounds, but he arrived in Norman, Okla., about 25 pounds lighter.
"It's kind of a mindset. Going in knowing that you're a a bit underweight, it kinda makes you wanna work harder just to maintain the stability to last in the league and college," Lamb said. "I can same about the NFL. Guys are bigger, stronger, faster, so in order to survive in that league, you've gotta match that energy and intensity. The only thing there is to do is to get bigger."
There's very little, if anything, to dislike about Lamb's game.