Purple Draft Profile: UNC RB Omarion Hampton
It is unclear whether or not Aaron Jones will be returning to Minnesota in 2025, as his 1-year/$7 million deal expires at the beginning of the new league year in March, rendering the 30-year-old running back an unrestricted free agent who is free to sign with the highest bidder.
The Vikings will be in the market for a new lead back, as Cam Akers is also a UFA, and Minnesota doesn’t seem too comfortable with giving Ty Chandler too many touches in every game.
Omarion Hampton out of North Carolina could be that dude at the 24th overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft (or later if the Vikings can find a trade partner).
UNC RB Omarion Hampton
Standing 6’0″ tall and weighing 220lbs, Hampton turned heads from all the major powerhouses across the college football landscape during his senior year at Cleveland High School in his native Clayton, North Carolina, right outside of Raleigh. His 1,948-yard and 39 touchdown score campaign essentially gave him the right to choose which major program he wanted to don the colors of, but he opted to stay true to his Carolinian roots and stayed put to play for the Tar Heels. Hampton totaled 5,370 yards and 88 touchdowns in his high school career.
His career in the Tar Heel Blue would prove just as dominant. In his first game with the program, he became the first rusher since Charlie Justice in 1946 to rush for over 100 yards in his debut for North Carolina.
Hampton appeared in 13 games as a true freshman, getting the starting nod in four. In Week 3 of that year, his 16 rushes for 110 yards and 2 TDs (one that tied the game and one that took the lead) won him ACC Rookie of the Week honors. He finished his freshman year with 94 total touches for 441 yards and 9 TDs.
2023 would be no different, where Omarion Hampton was awarded Doak Walker National Running Back of the Week after his 27-touch, 244-yard, and 3-TD performance in the second game of the season against in-state conference rival Wake Forest. He finished that year with 272 touches for 1,726 total yards and 16 total TDs. This season would cement him as one of the top backs in the nation, as he finished 6th in the country in total rushing yards and had seven games where he went over 100 yards on the ground.
As you might’ve guessed, 2024 was just as impressive. Hampton posted a ridiculous 8-game stretch of at least 100 yards on the ground, many of them going well over the century mark. UNC’s November 2nd matchup against ACC foe Florida State would produce Hampton’s best game of his collegiate career, where he racked up 36 touches for 265 yards and four total TDs.
Omarion leaves UNC with 2,911 rushing yards (9th in school history), 30 rushing TDs (6th), and 16 100+ rushing yard performances (including three games with 200+) over his three-season career at Chapel Hill. He is a two-time First-Team All-American (2023, 2024) and 2x First Team All-ACC (2023, 2024). PFF has him 24th on their 2025 NFL Draft Big Board.
Omarion Hampton Declares For 2025 NFL Draft
Hampton took to social media on December 15th, 2024, to declare his entrance into the 2025 NFL Draft.
Hampton’s Traits
Hampton is a very physical and powerful back, consistently falling forward through contact due to his exceptional leg drive and core strength. Not only is he a complete bruiser with the ability to knock the life out of any defender willing to contest him, but he also displays lateral agility and the ability to navigate tight spaces despite his robust frame.
When he does lower his pad level and gains leverage, he generates power from his lower body and keeps his balance in traffic. He has an elite burst at the line paired with an instinctual ability to keep his legs moving through the hole.
In the passing game, he is reliable with soft hands and solid concentration, even in traffic. He excels in gap/power schemes, making smart reads behind pulling linemen, and is a strong pass protector who holds up well against extra blitzers, something that would pay dividends for the Vikings if they are to roll with the young J.J. McCarthy in 2025.
Looking at what he will need to work on at the professional level, Hampton can sometimes run too upright, making him a larger target for defenders and diminishing his natural power. While he’s willing in pass protection, whichever team gets their hands on him will need to refine his hand placement and punch timing to better leverage his strength against NFL rushers.
Additionally, there is a ceiling on his creativity with the ball in space, relying more on power than agility to break tackles when isolated. While the signs point toward him being effective in the passing game, his route tree is basic, mostly limited to check-downs and swing passes without much route variation. His long speed is decent but not elite, occasionally getting caught from behind on breakaway runs when he can’t tap into an extra gear.
Hampton’s Fit Into KOC’s Offense
The Vikings have been searching for a legit running back threat since Dalvin Cook’s prime vanished. They kinda got one with Aaron Jones this season, but it was likely a one-off, as Jones will be 31 in December.
Hampton could fit into KOC’s offense beautifully as a bruising rusher with upside in the passing game. Hampton would likely be the opening-day starter in September if drafted to the purple team, and that would be a welcome thing. A completely new era with (potentially) 22-year-old J.J. McCarthy under center with 22-year-old Omarion Hampton lined up behind him.
Also, Hampton wore number 28 at UNC. Do with that information what you will.
