The 2025 NFL Draft is expected to feature one of the best running back classes since 1990, when Emmitt Smith and 11 other future Pro Bowl backs were selected. This new group offers a bit of everything — Day 1 starters, developmental projects, scatbacks, power backs, pass-catching specialists, and more.
Ashton Jeanty is currently the consensus top back in the class, but Omarion Hampton has been climbing the ranks. The former UNC standout is widely projected to be a bellcow back at the next level. His patience and ability to squeeze his big frame through tight running lanes have caught the attention of scouts.
Omarion Hampton Compared to Former Pro Bowler in Recent Mock Draft
Maurice Jones-Drew, a former All-Pro, Pro Bowler, and the NFL’s 2011 rushing leader, recently released his only mock draft of the season for NFL.com, where he now serves as an analyst. He projects Hampton going 20th overall to the Denver Broncos.
“A big, tackle-breaking rusher who’ll make most of his money late in the season, Hampton gives the Broncos a Mark Ingram-type back that Sean Payton utilized to great success during his time in New Orleans,” Jones-Drew wrote.
While that comparison might raise some eyebrows, it makes sense. Hampton is physically and athletically gifted. Like Mark Ingram II — who won a Heisman at Alabama before being drafted in the first round by the Saints — Hampton runs with aggression and physicality.
He’s eager to get downhill and is known for bouncing off defenders to extend plays. Hampton is widely considered a three-down back thanks to his ability as a pass-catcher and his reliability in pass protection.
Pro Football Network’s latest mock draft also has Hampton landing in Denver. Like Jones-Drew, Lewis believes Sean Payton could get the most out of him — just as he did with Alvin Kamara and Ingram in New Orleans.
“Omarion Hampton is one of this class’s top ball carriers and would be considered ‘RB1’ in almost any other year. 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 a tempo-setting ball carrier.”
The Broncos’ offense surprised many in 2024 with rookie Bo Nix under center. But the run game was inconsistent, and the team struggled to generate the chunk plays needed to move the chains. While Sean Payton was criticized at times for abandoning the run, he’s long been known for utilizing an effective two-back system — and many fans would love to see that return.
Denver also lost Javonte Williams to the Dallas Cowboys in free agency, leaving them in need of a new RB1. Hampton could be exactly the kind of physical presence the Broncos need to reignite their ground game in 2025.