The Los Angeles Chargers had a heartbreaking end to their season. In his first season with the team, head coach Jim Harbaugh took the Chargers to the playoffs for just the second time in Justin Herbert’s career — but the results there were far from ideal.
Suffering an almighty collapse, the Chargers were blown out by the Houston Texans, shockingly halting their season. Now, to recover, Los Angeles could benefit from adding some offensive firepower in the 2025 NFL Draft, with running back looking like a position of need.
Chargers Predicted To Pick Tar Heels RB Omarion Hampton in 2025 NFL Draft
In NFL.com’s Gennaro Filice’s latest mock draft, the Chargers are predicted to trade down with the Texans to No. 25 overall, landing North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton.
“Last April, with the first pick of the Jim Harbaugh era, the Chargers fittingly took a towering tackle. What will the Baugh Bolts do for an encore in this year’s opening round? How ‘bout a big, bruising, three-down back? As a violent downhill runner with explosive burst through the hole, Hampton feels like a perfect fit for Greg Roman’s gap scheme.”
Hampton has been compared to David Montgomery for his imposing physical size (6-foot, 220 pounds) and slashing running style in the open field. He rushed for 3,565 yards on 622 carries in 38 games at North Carolina, with 40 total touchdowns.
The 21-year-old is a workhorse back who led the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in rushing attempts in 2023 (253) and 2024 (281). In addition to his dominant rushing statistics, he also hauled in 73 receptions for 635 yards with four receiving scores.
Hampton would be the perfect fit in the Chargers’ offensive scheme, one predicated on tons of play-action passing and downhill running. He’s also a terror inside the red zone, especially in short-yardage situations.
PFSN’s Scouting Report on Hampton
PFSN’s Ian Cummings provided a drool-worthy scouting report on Hampton in June 2024, referring to him as a “rock’em, sock’em runner with a powerful frame” while grading him out as a top-64 prospect.
Remember, that scouting report was submitted prior to Hampton’s stellar senior year at North Carolina. All he did was increase his draft stock in 2024 after leading the ACC in carries (281), rushing yards (1,660), and all-scrimmage plays (319).
Hampton was also a finalist for the Doak Walker Award, which is given annually to college football’s best running back. Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty took home the honors after rumbling for 2,601 yards on 374 carries, tops in the country.
Cummings scouted Hampton: “Though he’s more of a press-and-go runner than a pure creator, Hampton has good creative instincts — evident in his ability to press into gaps and displace linebackers — but his main appeal comes as a finisher in space, where he can use his burst and agility in tandem with his physicality to muscle through defenders.”
PFSN’s Draft Projection for Chargers and Hampton
In PFSN’s latest mock draft by Justin Lewis, the Chargers select Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen at No. 22 overall, while Hampton falls out of the first round.
Here’s what Lewis had to say about the Chargers’ draft projection:
“Walter Nolen could end up as the most impactful prospect in this draft or just an average rotation guy. It all comes down to how consistent can his motor be. When Nolen is motivated, he looks every bit like the No. 1 recruit that he was. Then there are games where you did not even notice Nolen was on the field.
“He was more consistent after leaving Texas A&M for Ole Miss, but the talented defensive tackle will need to figure out how to play with a high motor all of the time. Jim Harbaugh is the kind of coach that could draw that out of Nolen and lead him to an immediate impact player as a rookie.”
