An accomplished high school athlete, Omarion Hampton stayed in his home state to attend the University of North Carolina. The four-star prep recruit and three-sport standout was twice named to the all-state team. It didn’t stop there as Hampton flashed out of the gates for the Tar Heels, scoring eight total touchdowns as a true freshman.
He’d go on to dominate the next two seasons before heading into the 2025 NFL Draft as the No. 2 prospect at the position on most boards. Hampton rounded out his collegiate career with consecutive Second-team Associated Press All-American and First-team All-ACC honors — along with being a finalist both years for the Doak Walker Award (nation’s best RB).
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 221 pounds
40 time: 4.46 seconds (estimated)
Table: RB Omarion Hampton, North Carolina (2022-24)
*includes postseason/bowl games (stats from Sports Reference)
Pros
- Backbreaking blend of size, speed, and power to carry an offense
- Quick feet to regather once stopped
- Excellent contact balance and body control
- Three-down utility
- Fits most NFL systems well but will be best in a gap design that allows his north-south style to shine
- Formidable jump-cut and enough lateral agility to create space as well as stack moves — also sports a capable stiff arm
- Determined runner who bulls through opponents and often requires multiple defenders to take him down
- Adequate receiver who still has room to grow
- Remarkably consistent from 2023 through ’24
Cons
- Intentionally takes excessive levels of brutal contact — serious longevity concerns if this doesn’t change
- Has a couple of successfully repeatable moves in the open field but lacks a full repertoire of maneuvers
- Limited exposure to more complex routes out of the backfield
- Eyes are inconsistent for spotting the proper lane at the optimal time
- Effort blocker who will need refinement to handle the best the NFL has to offer
Fantasy football outlook
Hampton almost certainly will go behind Ashton Jeanty as the second running back chosen, and being a top-15 pick is in play. Teams with a reasonable probability to draft him include the Dallas Cowboys (12th), Chicago Bears (10th), Denver Broncos (20th), Las Vegas Raiders (6th), and Pittsburgh Steelers (21st), though it will depend on how early Jeanty is selected — perhaps No. 6 to Vegas.
The nation’s No. 3 leading rusher’s game reminds of former NFL back DeShaun Foster, and there’s a lot of Joe Mixon in there, too. A career similar to the latter would be a major win for fantasy purposes, and Hampton should be considered a priority RB2/No. 3 in 2025 drafts, depending upon where he lands.
