This running back class is one of the best we have seen in years and a big reason is because of players like North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton. Hampton is a prototypical bell-cow running back who can be a three-down difference maker at the next level.
Omarion Hampton Draft Profile and Measurements
- Height: 6’0
- Weight: 220 pounds
- Position: RB
- School: North Carolina
- Current Year: JR
Scouting Report
Hampton was born in Forest City, North Carolina and moved to Clayton, North Carolina when he was in his teens. He played his high school football at Cleveland High School where he starred at running back for four straight seasons. As a senior, he was named North Carolina’s High School Football Player of the Year, while also earning four-star recruit status.
He was heavily recruited from top college programs across the country but elected to play for his hometown team, North Carolina. As a freshman, Hampton appeared in every game, while starting four. His incredible talent was easy to see as he was the first freshman to rush for over 100 yards at North Carolina since 1946.
His production improved over the course of the next two seasons and he was firmly entrenched as one of the nation’s top running backs as a sophomore and junior. He was named to multiple All-American teams and was recognized as a finalist for the Doak Walker Award throughout his illustrious collegiate career. Hampton now enters the draft as one of the class’s top running backs.
Strengths
- Well built running back who plays with good pad level and balance, which allows him to consistently bounce off would be tacklers
- Light on his feet for a bigger back and able to sift through traffic while running through the hole
- Has good short area explosiveness to burst through the line of scrimmage and into the second level
- Very good patience to set up blocks and read and react off them properly
- Outstanding vision and run instincts to feel the crease open up and evade tacklers in the open field
Weaknesses
- Not a true home run threat and doesn’t have breakaway speed once in the open field
- A linear north/south runner, he lacks the change of direction and fluid hips to make defenders miss in the open field
- A get what’s there type of runner, he doesn’t have the ability to create big plays when things aren’t blocked up well
- Needs refinement in pass protection and must work on his hand placements and getting better at striking with timing
Current Draft Projection and Summary
2024 was the year of the running back bounce back and based on this year’s draft class, 2025 will be no different. Hampton is one of this class’s top ball carriers and would be considered “RB1” in almost any other year. He is a well-rounded player who offers the production, high end physical tools and versatility to excel as a three-down running back.
A violent, downhill runner, Hampton offers outstanding size, strength and power. He is a power back first and foremost, but he offers excellent short area quickness and explosiveness. Hampton has a massive frame and is densely built to withstand contact and deliver punishment as tempo setting ball carrier.
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As an inside runner, Hampton displays very good patience and vision. He allows his blockers to get to their spots, patiently waiting as he scans the field, and then he explodes through the hole. Hampton has very good foot quickness and is light enough on his feet to sift through trash while working through the line of scrimmage. His ability to quickly scan and diagnose creases and gaps while he presses the line of scrimmage as a ball carrier is excellent and he is able to react off his reads in an efficient manner.
One of Hampton’s many difference-making qualities is his contact balance. He is extremely hard to tackle and consistently runs behind his pads as defenders bounce off of him. When defenders look to make contact, Hampton explodes through impact, keeping his leg drive strong to continue running through the defender. He is outstanding in short yardage runs and almost always gains positive yards.
Hampton has enough juice to stress defenses horizontally as well as an outside runner. He can get to the edges of the defense and quickly put his foot in the ground and get north/south. He always runs square and understands when to press up field. Hampton breaks long runs as he does have good explosiveness, but his speed dies down the further along he gets to the second level. He is more of a one speed runner who lacks pure home run speed to be a consistent big run threat.
While Hampton’s build is certainly an asset, it does limit his ability to make defenders miss in the open field. He is a linear athlete who is at his best when going forward and struggles when forced off his track. He lacks the creativity to get himself out of trouble when the hole isn’t there and is not overly dynamic in the open field outside of just running the defender over through power.
Hampton is not to be mistaken for Alvin Kamara as a receiver but he is more than serviceable in that phase. He flashes soft hands and the ability to take the football outside of his frame. He is oftentimes split into the slot and out wide and shows good proficiency with his route running. There is room for improvement as it relates to his pass blocking. He is able to anchor against power on his head, but his punch timing and placement are inconsistent.
Overall, Hampton is a dynamic power running back who has the skillset to be a three down playmaker at the next level. He consistently churns positive yards, and has the explosiveness to hit a big play every now and then. Look for him to be one of the first running backs off the board this April.