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Oklahoma Sooners release statement on tragic death of Du'Vonta Lampkin

Wade-Peeryby:Wade Peery•05/06/22
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(Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Oklahoma Sooners are mourning the tragic passing of one of their very own on Friday. Former Sooner defensive lineman Du’Vonta Lampkin tragically passed away on Thursday evening, after he was found with a single gunshot wound at around 10:10 PM local time in Dallas, Texas. Police were called to the scene after witnesses said Lampkin had stopped answering phone calls, per multiple reports. The Sooners’ football program is currently mourning his passing and on Friday, they released a statement.

“The OU Football family is deeply saddened by the tragic passing of former player Du’Vonta Lampkin,” the statement began. “Du’Vonta was full of life and spirit, was a supportive teammate and a joy to be around. Our sincerest thoughts, prayers, and sympathies are with his family and loved ones.”

During his college football career with the Sooners, Lampkin played in 15 games during his three years with the program. Lampkin helped propel the Sooners to a Big 12 regular season crown during the 2017 season after they defeated TCU 38-20. The Houston, Texas native’s best season with the program was when he was a sophomore during the 2017 season–racking up 23 tackles, five tackles for loss, and one sack.

Lampkin left school early to enter his name into the 2018 NFL Draft, but went undrafted. The 6-foot-4, 335-pound defensive lineman eventually signed with the Tennessee Titans just before the 2018 season, but was released before the first game of the season. Lampkin also participated in a minicamp during the preseason with the Baltimore Ravens. The former Sooner also went on to play in an indoor professional league in 2019, when he suited up for the Massachusetts Pirates.

According to the On3 Consensus Rankings, Lampkin was rated as a four-star prospect and the No. 38 ranked defensive lineman in the 2015 class. He played his high school football for Cy Falls (Houston, Texas). Coming out of high school, he originally committed to the Texas Longhorns in 2014, but ended up committing to the Oklahoma Sooners due to academic issues.