Omarion Hampton and Willie Lampkin can be classified by two words: All-Americans.
Another set of All-America honors for this duo 🐏@OmarionHampton | @will_hitstick52 pic.twitter.com/pvjkTdEheH
— Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) December 16, 2024
The UNC football duo earned yet another All-American accolade, this one coming from the Associated Press.
Lampkin earned first-team honors while Hampton was named to the second-team. In total, the duo have both earned three All-American honors thus far:
FBS Coaches
Hampton: First-Team
Lampkin: Second-Team
Walter Camp
Hampton: Second-Team
Lampkin: Second-Team
Associated Press
Lampkin: First-Team
Hampton: Second-Team
When it comes to the transfer portal, not many players (if any) have made more of an impact than Willie Lampkin. The offensive lineman served as an integral part of the unit that was tasked with not only protecting the quarterback but also to pave the way for Hampton as he chased UNC football history. Regardless of where Mack Brown and the Tar Heels staff needed him, Lampkin was more than capable of handling the job, as his two seasons in Chapel Hill proved that he should intrigue many NFL teams leading up to this year's draft.
As a junior, Hampton was a legitimate workhorse for the UNC football program's offense, finishing the season with 1,660 rushing yards and 373 receiving yards. His 1,660 rushing yards ranks as the second-most in a single-season by a Tar Heel, as he only trails Don McCauley by 60 yards on the list (a record he would most likely have crushed if he suited up for the team's bowl game). Now that he'll depart for the NFL, Hampton cemented his legacy as one of the best running backs to ever wear the Carolina Blue, as he saved his best season for last, one that Tar Heel fans will remember for quite some time.
While the 2024 season didn't go as planned for the program as a whole, Willie Lampkin and Omarion Hampton proved that they are among the nation's best talents.