Omarion Hampton NFL Draft ended with RB1 in powder blue. The Los Angeles Chargers made a statement on Thursday night, selecting Omarion Hampton with the 22nd overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The former UNC running back becomes just the fourth in school history to be drafted in the first round — and the first since Ethan Horton in 1985.
Hampton now heads to L.A. as a proven workhorse with explosive upside, joining a backfield in need of a game-changer.
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🏫 From High School Phenom: Omarion Hampton NFL Draft Journey
School: Cleveland High School (Clayton, NC)
Years: 2018–2021
Let’s set the scene. North Carolina 4A football. Big games. Bigger expectations. Omarion Hampton didn’t just meet the moment — he owned it.
By the time he graduated, he’d racked up:
- 🏃♂️ 5,370 rushing yards
- 🏈 88 total touchdowns
- 🔥 10.4 yards per carry
- 💪 Led Cleveland High to multiple playoff runs
He was North Carolina’s Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior and finished as a top-10 RB nationally on most recruiting boards. ESPN, 247Sports, and Rivals had him pegged as a 4-star beast. And he played like it.
His senior season? Try 1,948 rushing yards and 43 total TDs. That’s not a typo. He was untouchable in space and unstoppable at the goal line. Defensive coordinators called him a “nightmare to scheme against” — and college scouts lined up with offers.
But Hampton stayed home. He chose North Carolina, saying, “It’s bigger than football — I want to represent my state.”
Spoiler: he did more than that. He rewrote UNC’s history books.
🏛️ College Career at UNC: From Freshman Flash to First-Round Talk
📘 Freshman Season (2022)
Hampton arrived in Chapel Hill and scored two TDs in his debut. Immediately, you could see the blend of power, patience, and burst. Though part of a rotation with British Brooks and Elijah Green, he still put up:
- 88 carries
- 401 rushing yards
- 6 touchdowns
He flashed pass-blocking upside and soft hands out of the backfield. Coaches said he “studied film like a vet.”
📙 Sophomore Season (2023) — The Breakout
This is when Omarion snatched the RB1 role and never let go. With Drake Maye gone to the NFL, UNC leaned heavily on the run. Hampton delivered:
- 🧨 1,504 rushing yards (ACC leader)
- 🏈 15 rushing TDs
- 🪙 5.9 YPC
- 🏆 First-Team All-ACC
- 💥 Named a Doak Walker semifinalist
He ranked top 10 nationally in rushing yards and top 5 in forced missed tackles, per PFF. His 4.2 yards after contact was elite — showing NFL-caliber leg drive and contact balance.
📕 Junior Season (2024) — Cementing a Legacy
With the Tar Heels breaking in a new QB, Hampton became the offense. He carried the rock 280+ times and posted:
- 🔥 1,660 rushing yards
- 🚀 16 total touchdowns
- 🧱 39 catches for 327 yards
UNC went 9-3 behind his ground game. He became:
- #2 in UNC history for single-season rushing yards
- A unanimous All-ACC selection
- A projected Top-40 draft pick heading into bowl season
He declared early for the 2025 NFL Draft, skipping his senior year. Scouts raved about his durability, vision, and NFL-ready frame: 6’0″, 220 lbs.
⚡ Instant Fit in L.A.
Hampton joins a Chargers team ready to retool its offense under new leadership — and with Austin Ekeler gone, the starting RB job is wide open.
What the Chargers get in Hampton:
- 🧱 North-south power with short-area burst
- 🔒 Ball security — only 2 fumbles in 3 years
- 🔁 3-down versatility with improved hands in 2024
Paired with Justin Herbert and the Chargers’ revamped O-line, Hampton gives them a legit between-the-tackles threat with breakaway potential.
carolina blue → powder blue pic.twitter.com/8WONrtcoSd
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) April 25, 2025
🔮 Chargers Futures: Post-Draft 2025 Betting Odds
Here’s where the Bolts stand after adding Hampton:
📈 Super Bowl Odds (FanDuel): +5000
📊 AFC Championship (DraftKings): +2200
📍 AFC West Winner (Caesars): +600
📅 Regular Season Wins O/U (bet365): 9.0
If Hampton hits the ground running (literally), expect those win total and division odds to shift quickly.
🏁 Final Word: Underrated No More
Omarion Hampton leaves UNC as one of the most decorated backs in school history. Now, he’s the centerpiece of the Chargers’ ground attack.
Power, production, poise — Hampton brings it all. And L.A. just got a lot tougher to tackle.
