Omarion Hampton NFL Draft 2025 profile: Full scouting report, pro comparison, future outlook and more

Omarion Hampton looks built in a lab at just under 6-foot, 221 pounds and with 4.46-second 40-yard dash speed. His long speed, quickness testing and explosive drills (broad jump, vertical) were so dominant at the NFL Scouting Combine that he scored a 9.78 RAS (Relative Athletic Score), which ranked 43rd out of 1,909 running backs who tested at the Combine from 1987 to 2025. 

Hampton backs up his athletic projection with production at the collegiate level — 3,160 rushing yards over the past two seasons combined. He also brings pedigree. Hampton was named North Carolina Gatorade Football Player of the Year and North Carolina’s “Mr. Football” as a senior in high school.

While some draft analysts have concerns over Hampton’s wear-and-tear due to his massive workload at the collegiate level, I view that as a plus. Backs who have shown they can handle the workhorse role at the collegiate level typically do a better job holding it down at the NFL level. Plus, there’s a reason North Carolina fed Hampton so often and made him the focal point of their offense. 

Hampton is not just size-speed standout. He excelled with short-area burst and quickness, an innate ability to create yards in tight areas due to surprisingly lateral agility for his size and he made plays in the pass game whenever given the opportunity. 

What could help Hampton step right into an every-down role with the right team fit is his pass protection. Of all the backs I’ve studied thus far, only LeQuint Allen has graded higher for me in pass protection. Ask any veteran quarterback or coach and they’ll tell you the same thing — if you can pass protect, you can stay on the field for all downs. An every-down role right away is not something far fetched for Hampton, who will enter as the league in the top tier of running back prospects to have been drafted over the past five seasons. 

Omarion Hampton NFL Draft profile

• Age as of Week 1: 22
• Height: 5-foot-11 ¾
• Weight: 221 pounds
• Hand size: 9 ⅜ inches
• 40-yard dash time: 4.46 seconds
• Comparable body-type to: Marshawn Lynch

CBS prospect ranking

Position: No. 2 RB  | Overall: No. 39

Consensus big board ranking (via NFL Mock Draft Database): No. 25 overall (No. 2 RB)

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NFL comparison: Jonathan Taylor

I’ve seen Hampton compared to Zach Charbonnet, and I can see the similarities in their rushing styles, but the player I see more of is Jonathan Taylor. Like Taylor, Hampton runs a bit high but makes up for it with his long strides and breakaway speed. Hampton might be even better than Taylor when it comes to contact balance and creating yardage after first contact. Both players have short-area burst that you don’t always expect from taller backs. Hampton will enter the NFL more refined as a receiver and better in pass protection than Taylor was coming out of Wisconsin.

Omarion Hampton scouting report

Accolades

• Career: Fourth in school history in rushing yards (3,565)
• 2024: Set single-season school record for all-purpose yards (2,033) and finished second in FBS in rushing yards (1,660) to go along with 15 touchdown runs
• 2023-24: Second-most rushing yards (3,164) in FBS over past two seasons (behind only Ashton Jeanty)
• 2023-24: Two-time first-team All-ACC

Strengths

• Uber-productive at all points of his UNC career both as a rusher and when given opportunities in the pass game. Hampton joined a shortlist of mostly star-studded future NFL running backs when it came to his combined production.

• Long strider who can break away from defenses when he gets a runway
• Elite or borderline-elite level contact balance. Hampton rarely goes down on first contact and is excellent at turning away wimpy tacklers. Hampton ranked in the 97th Percentile in Yards After Contact Per Attempt (4.3), per PFF. 
• Hampton also provides solutions for an offense when the offensive line fails to do its job. Hampton averaged the second-most yards per carry among all running backs when contacted at or behind the line of scrimmage, per PFF.
• One of the most unique traits Hampton displays on tape for a back of his size is his ability to stop-and-start. He’ll often tempo his runs, decelerating and creating angles for cutbacks.
• Better lateral agility than given credit for, and it allows Hampton to create missed tackles at the second and third levels in space by making people miss.
• One of the best pass-protecting running backs in this entire class.

• Bounces off contact at times without losing much if any mometum moving forward.
• Can operate screens, swings and angle routes as a receiver in the pass game at functional level showing natural hands for the running back position. Hampton racked up 17% of North Carolina’s total receptions in 2024, which was the second-highest percentage among all running backs in this class.
• Quick and fluid footwork for a back of his size.
• Power and drive to steamroll defenders as a weapon in the red zone despite not running with the ideal pad level on most of his attempts.
• One of the most explosive running back prospects despite being 221 pounds — Hampton tested in the 96th percentile among all running backs in the explosive jumps (vertical and broad jumps).

Concerns

• The biggest concern for Hampton is the pad level he runs at. Hampton tends to run high and that can give running backs trouble at the NFL level.
• Despite having excellent lateral agility for his size, Hampton is not the most fluid back. He is a bit stiff, and this doesn’t always allow him to make defenders miss in space and run with a lower center of gravity.
• Might be best fit for a zone blocking scheme where Hampton has more defined reads and can make one cut and get downhill fast.
• Not an elite processor when it comes to vision and creativity as a runner.
• Ball security was an issue at times earlier in Hampton’s career.

Bottom line

Hampton is not the most elusive runner and he runs high, so a porous offensive line could hamper his production (similar to how we’ve seen with runners like Taylor and Latavius Murray, among others) in the past. But if you can get him in the right scheme, he can shine right away. His pass game skills (protection and receiving) give him the upside to play on all three downs for an offense. He can be a weapon in the red zone but also a home-run hitter at any given moment. If you get him in the right zone-blocking scheme, Hampton could be a star right away.

What other draft experts say about Omarion Hampton

Ryan Wilson: Hampton is my RB2 and No. 41 on my board. I described him in my notes as “a workhorse back who hits a lot of doubles; welcomes contact, is at his best between the tackles, and plays much bigger than listed size (even though he’s listed at just under 6-foot, 221 pounds). His receiving skills make him even more valuable. He plays with a low center of gravity, good contact balance and runs low and with purpose.” He’s another player — and the only other back after Ashton Jeanty — who could go in Round 1.

Josh Edwards: Hampton has been an incredibly productive performer for the Tar Heels. He has great size to handle the role of feature back within the NFL, and his athletic testing at the NFL Scouting Combine checked all the boxes. For a team looking to add a final missing piece or two to the offensive operation, Hampton is an ideal fit. The North Carolina native should be a top-15 running back through his rookie contract, but anything beyond that would be icing on the cake.

Mike Renner: Hampton is a hard-nosed, between-the-tackles runner who will maximize every opportunity he gets. You will not see him ever shy away from contact. He not only has power, but also an explosive element to his game.

Omarion Hampton college stats

Omarion Hampton 247Sports profile

• High school: Cleveland
• Class: Clayton, North Carolina
• Composite rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (88)

• National: 153 | RB: 11 | NC: 5 

Check out Omarion Hampton’s full 247Sports profile, here.

The 2025 NFL Draft is to take place from April 24-26 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. More draft coverage can be found at CBSSports.com, including the weekly mock drafts and a regularly available look at the eligible prospects.