The Los Angeles Chargers needed to add a running back going into the 2025 season, and they did just that in free agency as well as the draft. The Chargers running back room is completely revamped with the additions of Najee Harris from the Pittsburgh Steelers and Omarion Hampton from the University of North Carolina.
Hampton didn’t have the best Week 1, but the NFL is a different animal. The Chargers put their faith in Hampton, spending their first-round pick on him. Take a look at Hampton’s journey to the NFL ahead of his second NFL game.
Omarion Hampton’s Draft Journey
The Chargers selected Hampton with the No. 22 selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Chargers needed to find replacements for JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards, and they decided that Hampton was their guy. Jim Harbaugh has had offenses that are predominantly run-oriented, and Harbaugh has spoken very highly of Hampton since drafting him.
“I really thought Omarion was going to be a great player and a great back, and I was hoping that would be right from game 1. Exhibit A, he’s really good,” said Harbaugh.
1 minute of Jim Harbaugh speaking very highly of Omarion Hampton.
“I really thought Omarion was going to be a great player and a great back, and I was hoping that would be right from game 1. Exhibit A, he’s really good.” pic.twitter.com/IKW4YgzlQ7
— Noah Pires (@NoahPires_) September 8, 2025
Harbaugh has been pleased with Hampton and will continue to get him the ball. Even though the Chargers brought in Harris as well, Hampton has taken advantage of his opportunity and will have plenty of touches. He won’t be a workhouse like he was at North Carolina because Harris is there, but he’ll play a pivotal role in the offense.
Hampton was a three-year player at the University of North Carolina. His freshman year was a strong start, but only racked up 94 touches for 441 yards. He had a knack for finding the end zone, though, with seven touchdowns. The flashes he showed in his freshman season prepared him for the dynamic role he would play in the future seasons.
In his sophomore and junior seasons, he led the conference in rushing yards. He had a conference-leading 253 carries, 1,504 rush yards, and 15 touchdowns in his sophomore season. He added a receiving touchdown as well, to bring his total to 16, where he led the conference as well. Hampton established himself as one of the top running backs in college football and was one to watch as a top returner entering his junior season.
He lived up to the hype, delivering more conference-leading stats in his junior season. He led the conference with 281 carries and 1,660 rush yards. He racked up a career-high 38 catches for 373 yards, bringing his total numbers to 319 touches and 2,033 yards from scrimmage.
Hampton is poised for a big role in Los Angeles, and Chargers fans are very excited for what Hampton brings to the table. If his college production is indicative of what is to come, then the Chargers will be more than pleased with their draft pick. His breakout game could come tonight against the Raiders, or it could take a few more games to fully adapt to the NFL game. But fans will be patiently awaiting that moment.
