The annual NFL Combine is a big day in the draft process for some of the top available talents on the current year's draft board.
Players from across the country meet up in Indianapolis to showcase their skills while also getting some opportunities to meet with NFL executives. The goal of the event, for a NFL Draft prospect, is to leave with your stock rising, not falling.
Even without Ashton Jeanty working out today, the RB class is loaded in Indy.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 1, 2025
North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton is a name I heard ALL week teams felt would put on a show: Balanced, versatile, highly explosive runner and pass-catcher who drew the Joe Mixon comp.
Expecting 4.4s… pic.twitter.com/SbOrtfQvsZ
A lot of areas are taken into consideration. Sure, teams are looking to see how fast a player runs or how they perform in drills, but there are many elements that go into it. While the running backs took center stage on Saturday, former UNC football star Omarion Hampton had a lot of eyes on him.
Fortunately, Hampton didn't disappoint one bit.
Omarion Hampton (RB4, 63 overall on @KyleCrabbs’ Big Board) is showing out at the Combine 🔥
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) March 1, 2025
His Relative Athletic Score is 14th among 1909 RBs, per @MathBomb https://t.co/FdUBGRT6xQ pic.twitter.com/ITV8ZWl5On
While he measured extremely well, coming in at 5-foot-11 and 221 pounds, he also posted a very good 40-yard dash time. He was expected to run in the 4.4 area and did that, finishing with a 4.46 time. This was the tenth-highest among running backs in the class, as the margin between his time and most of the others wasn't far off by any means.
4.46u for North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton.
— NFL (@NFL) March 1, 2025
He's No. 19 on @MoveTheSticks' prospect rankings.
📺: #NFLCombine on @NFLNetwork
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/nSvYCdcict
While Ashton Jeanty of Boise State is considered the top running back of this draft class, Hampton may not be far behind. In fact, there have been some rumblings that Hampton could work his way into being selected in the first round as well.
Omarion Hampton Duce Staley Drill #NFLCombine pic.twitter.com/mbI0z8NSOH
— WalkTheMock (@WalkTheMock) March 1, 2025
Hampton has drawn interest from a handful of teams, as the New England Patriots (who are currently led by quarterback and former UNC football star Drake Maye) along with the Chicago Bears (now coached by former Tar Heel walk-on Ben Johnson) are among the teams that have met with Hampton during his visit to Indianapolis.
While running backs aren't viewed as high on NFL Draft boards as they used to, Omarion Hampton continues to make a very strong case to hear his name called in the first round of this year's festivities. A guy who looks like he was built in a lab who possesses an elite skillset, Hampton has everything that an NFL team is looking for in a workhorse running back.
His experience at the NFL Combine seems to have impacted him favorably as we inch closer to the 2025 NFL Draft.