Omarion Hampton is one of the top running backs in the 2025 NFL Draft class, and his bruising running style makes him an intriguing fit for several RB-needy teams.
The former North Carolina standout has the size, speed, and production to be a Day 1 or early Day 2 pick — and in this piece, we break down the top landing spots for him in the 2025 draft.
Omarion hampton scouting report
Omarion Hampton had visits with several big schools coming out of high school. As a four star recruit he visited Auburn, Florida and Penn State, but ultimately decided on North Carolina, staying close to home.
He took over the starting role in his second year, posting 1,500 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns as the new RB1 for the Tar Heels. Hampton posted eight straight games with 100+ rushing yards before finishing the season with 185 yards and a touchdown against NC State.
On the field he’s a fluid runner. He makes cuts and changes direction without needing to gear down, maintaining high speed through traffic.
Omarion Hampton’s yards after contact jump off the page. He fights for every yard and its rarely the first tackler that brings him down. In 2023, 1,072 of his 1,500 yards came after contact for an average of 4.22 yards after contact per attempt.
His 2024 numbers were even better. 1,660 rushing yards total, but 1,222 of those yards once again came after contact. That year, 4.35 yards after contact per attempt.
Hampton’s got a near-perfect running style. He’s aggressive and finishes every run with elite leverage running behind his pads.
Generally, the UNC star seems to fit an inside run/power type scheme. He’s more smash than finesse, and you can trust him to carry the football 20+ times a game comfortably.
While he’s expected to be a franchise starter, there are a couple of imperfections. Hampton has good speed but it’s not elite speed, and that’s noticeable in the open field. He’s also not a particularly creative runner. He runs with power, but doesn’t have an elite skill set when it comes to shaking defenders or side-stepping tackles.
Ideal landing spots for Omarion hampton
Once Ashton Jeanty is off the board, there’s a very strong chance Omarion Hampton is next. He could be the second running back drafted in 2025, and that might just be a first-round pick.
Here are three NFL teams that need a running back, who could be a perfect fit for the powerful back out of UNC.
Pick #21: Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers need to draft a running back, with Najee Harris leaving in free agency during the off-season. While they still have Jaylen Warren, the addition of Kenny Gainwell doesn’t move the needle enough to consider their running back group complete.
Pittsburgh took a big swing on a trade for DK Metcalf, but they still don’t have a franchise quarterback. Drafting a running back in round one seems crazy… unless Aaron Rodgers is in town.
Pick #33: Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns didn’t have a running back with over 600 rushing yards in 2024. Jerome Ford led with 565 yards and three rushing touchdowns.
Cleveland’s offense fell apart for a lot of reasons, but not being able to run the football or convert in the red zone was a large part of that. They were 27th in red zone scoring, and dead last in points per game.
Omarion Hampton changes a lot of that almost immediately. Quarterback play is a factor, but the heir to Nick Chubb’s throne lies in the draft and Hampton could easily be the first name off the board in the second round.
Pick #44: Dallas Cowboys
This is the best-case scenario for the Dallas Cowboys. They were appalling on the ground in 2024 and frankly, it was one of the main reasons for their season falling apart.
Dallas tried to play down the value of a starting running back last season and it cost them. They didn’t come up with the money to sign Derrick Henry, and then limped into the year with a mix of Rico Dowdle and the shadow of Zeke Elliott.
If Omarion Hampton is still available at pick 44, the Dallas Cowboys draft picks could include a receiver in round one and a franchise running back in round two.
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