Hogs Haven takes a look at 2025 NFL Draft prospects that could contribute to the Commanders
Omarion Hampton, RB
School: UNC | Conference: ACC
College Experience: Junior | Age: 22
Height / Weight: 6’0” / 221 lbs
Projected Draft Status: Mid 1st-2nd Round
Player Comparison: Ezekiel Elliott
College Statistics
| Rushing | Receiving | Scrimmage | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Att | Yds | Y/A | TD | Y/G | Rec | Yds | Y/R | TD | Y/G | Plays | Yds | Avg | TD | Awards |
| 2022* | North Carolina | ACC | FR | RB | 13 | 88 | 401 | 4.6 | 6 | 30.8 | 6 | 40 | 6.7 | 1 | 3.1 | 94 | 441 | 4.7 | 7 | |
| 2023* | North Carolina | ACC | SO | RB | 13 | 253 | 1504 | 5.9 | 15 | 115.7 | 29 | 222 | 7.7 | 1 | 17.1 | 282 | 1726 | 6.1 | 16 | |
| 2024* | North Carolina | ACC | SR | RB | 12 | 281 | 1660 | 5.9 | 15 | 138.3 | 38 | 373 | 9.8 | 2 | 31.1 | 319 | 2033 | 6.4 | 17 | |
| Career | 38 | 622 | 3565 | 5.7 | 36 | 93.8 | 73 | 635 | 8.7 | 4 | 16.7 | 695 | 4200 | 6.0 | 40 | |||||
| Kick Returns | Punt Returns | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Ret | Yds | Y/Ret | KRTD | Ret | Yds | PRTD | APYd | Awards |
| 2022* | North Carolina | ACC | FR | RB | 13 | 7 | 151 | 21.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 592 | |
| 2023* | North Carolina | ACC | SO | RB | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1726 | ||
| 2024* | North Carolina | ACC | SR | RB | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2033 | ||
| Career | 38 | 7 | 151 | 21.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4351 | |||||
Player Overview
Omarion Hampton was born and raised in North Carolina, attending Cleveland High School and was a star for their football team. His sophomore season, he rushed for over 2,400 yards and had 35 trips to the endzone. His play as a senior led to him being North Carolina’s Mr. Football and Gatorade Player of the Year. Hampton had offers from Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, and LSU, but chose to stay home and play for the Tar Heels.
Hampton didn’t get a chance to ease into his college career. He saw action in 13 games, starting four, as a true freshman. Modest production his first year set the stage for an amazing sophomore season. While everyone watched Drake Maye, and said he had little help at UNC, Hampton put up over 1,500 yards on the ground and scored 15 TDs. He would become the focal point of the offense his junior year with Maye in the NFL. All Hampton did was top 1,600 yards and score another 15 TDs. His consistent and prolific production earned him First Team All-ACC and All-American honors in 2023 and 2024.
Strengths
- Excellent build for the position
- Superb reading keys and setting up blocks
- Patient runner, but bursts through the hole
- Strong runner who runs through arm tackles and drags tacklers
- Great contact balance, staying upright while absorbing contact
- Willing blocker with plays where he stones rushers
Weaknesses
- Upright runner that gives defenders a lot of surface area to hit
- Lacks elusiveness in space
- Good speed, but caught from behind often in the open field
- Receiving limited to short-area passes
- Blocking technique needs improvement
Let’s See His Work
Very impressed with UNC RB Omarion Hampton
Great pass protection rep here. QB calls out potential blitz off the left. Hampton checks him at the snap, sees him drop, and immediately scans to the other edge.
Closes ground and meets the blitzer with a great base. Gets 2 for 1. pic.twitter.com/nfnj154qSp
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) March 18, 2025
North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton Since 2023:
92.3 PFF Grade (6th)
3,160 Rush Yards (2nd)
2,294 Yards AFTER Contact (2nd)
79 Explosive Runs (3rd)
140 Missed Tackles Forced (6th) pic.twitter.com/p38JxfU3nK— PFF College (@PFF_College) March 12, 2025
: UNC RB Omarion Hampton is viewed by many as a lock to go in the first round of the draft, per @TonyPauline
The #Commanders and #Broncos are among the teams being linked to Hampton. pic.twitter.com/JgNn3nFRs5
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) April 16, 2025
Omarion Hampton is a RB prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored a 9.70 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 64 out of 2099 RB from 1987 to 2025.https://t.co/ceou1zw2q1 pic.twitter.com/7Yj23y6sIb
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 8, 2025
How does he fit on the team
The run game ran hot and cold for the Commanders last season. Jayden Daniels aside, the run seemed to feast early in the season, but faded as the season went on. Brian Robinson, Jr. provided tough running, but was not productive late in the season. Austin Ekeler provided explosiveness, but isn’t an every-down back at this point in his career. Both struggled with injuries during the season. The team could really use a running back that can be on the field every down that will can do everything well.
There isn’t a lot that Omarion Hampton can’t do as a running back. He has great patience, reads defense well to set up blocks, is tough to bring down, and can provide protection as a blocker. Kliff Kingsbury mixes zone and gap concepts into the Commanders’ run game, and Hampton can excel at both. Hampton is young and can still improve in areas. To be a true three-down back, he’ll have to expand his role as a receiver and improve his blocking. His hard-running style could take a toll on his body overtime. If Hampton continues getting better, he could be the Commanders’ premier back in short order.