We continue our 2025 NFL Draft preview of draft prospects that could interest the Dallas Cowboys. Today we are looking at running back Omarion Hampton from North Carolina

Omarion Hampton

RB
North Carolina Tar Heels
Junior
4-star recruit
6’0”
220 lbs

 

History:

Omarion Hampton was born on March 16, 2003, in Forest City, North Carolina. He was a three-sport athlete in high school (football, basketball, and track), and he comes from a family with athletic ties—his brother Jamal played cornerback at Chowan University, and his cousin Giorgio Lowrance was a wide receiver at North Carolina A&T.

He moved to Clayton, North Carolina, during middle school and his football journey began at Cleveland High School, where he played from 2018 to 2021 and established himself as a standout talent. As a sophomore in 2019, Hampton rushed for 2,402 yards and 35 touchdowns, marking him as one of the top high school running backs in the country. Despite an injury-shortened junior year in 2021, he rebounded as a senior, rushing for 1,949 yards and 39 touchdowns, averaging 12.1 yards per carry. His senior performance earned him accolades as North Carolina’s Player of the Year. A four-star recruit, Hampton chose to stay in his home state, committing to the University of North Carolina over offers from powerhouse programs like Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State.

Hampton quickly made an impact as a true freshman in 2022. In his collegiate debut against Florida A&M, he rushed for 101 yards and two touchdowns, becoming the first Tar Heel freshman since 1946 to rush for over 100 yards in a single game. He finished his freshman season with 401 rushing yards and six touchdowns across 13 games.

His sophomore year in 2023 saw him take on a full-time starting role, rushing for 1,504 yards and 15 touchdowns on 253 carries, earning First-Team All-ACC honors, a Doak Walker Award finalist nod, and First-Team All-America nomination.

In 2024, as a junior, Hampton continued his dominance, amassing 1,660 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, finishing sixth nationally in rushing yards per game and recording six straight 100-yard games, a feat not achieved by a Tar Heel since 1970. Over three seasons, he accumulated 3,565 career rushing yards, placing him fourth all-time at UNC, and 36 total touchdowns.

2024 Statistics

686 Offensive Snaps
281 Rush Attempts
1,660 Rush Yards
5.9 YPC
17 Total TDs
38 Receptions
373 Receiving Yards
1 Fumble
81 First Downs
73 Missed Tackles Forced
0 Penalties

NFL Combine/Pro Day

TBC

Awards

All-America (2024)
First-Team All-ACC (2024)
All-America (2023)
First-Team All-ACC (2023)

Scorecard

Overall- 87.9
Speed- 87
Acceleration- 86
Agility- 79
Strength- 82
Contact Balance- 92
Vision- 81
Elusiveness- 81
Receiving- 77
Blocking- 56
Discipline- 99

THE GOOD

• Hampton thrives in power-based schemes. His 220-pound frame allows him to absorb contact and consistently gain yards after initial hit, often dragging defenders for extra yardage.
• Has fantastic contact balance in all levels of the field.
• Demonstrates exceptional stamina, with no significant drop-off in performance late in games.
• Shows good instincts in finding creases in the offensive line, particularly in gap power schemes.
• Explodes through holes in A- and B-gaps with decisiveness.
• Shows good power running skills and combines that with deceptive speed.
• His top-end speed is functional for an NFL back.
• Rarely goes down on first contact due to his strong leg drive and low center of gravity.
• Excels at keeping his feet moving through traffic and falling forward for extra yards.

📼TAPE TIME📼
RB Omarion Hampton
North Carolina

✅ THE GOOD✅#scouting #NFLDraft #TarHeels pic.twitter.com/wWOV347ZJ0

— Mike Poland (@kenfigkowboy) February 23, 2025

THE BAD

• Lacks patience in the backfield. As soon as he collects the ball he wants to from 0-60 in an instant rather than letting his gaps develop.
• His receiving skills are underdeveloped.
• While powerful, he lacks elite lateral quickness or juke moves to evade defenders in open space. His agility is best described as average in the open field.
• His game is more about running through than around opponents which raises concerns of durability.
• Blocking skills are a work in progress. He’s willing but inconsistent in picking up blitzes, often relying on his size rather than technique, which could limit his third-down snaps.
• Hand placement and setting his base too wide often sees him get pushed backward on blocks.
• His style may not translate seamlessly to the modern day NFL playbook as he’s more suited to gap-heavy offenses rather than zone-stretch systems.

📼TAPE TIME📼
RB Omarion Hampton
North Carolina

❌THE BAD❌#scouting #NFLDraft #TarHeels pic.twitter.com/O44fZPCUf8

— Mike Poland (@kenfigkowboy) February 23, 2025

THE FIT

Omarion Hampton projects as the classical, 1990’s style workhorse running back with potential to be more of the modern type three-down back in the NFL, provided he refines his pass-catching and blocking skills. His size, strength, and relentless running style make him an ideal fit for teams like the to prioritize physicality in their ground game.

His limited versatility might cap his draft stock in a league trending toward multi-dimensional backs. Expect him to land in the Day 2 rounds, with a chance to climb higher if he tests well at the combine.

The Dallas Cowboys entered the 2024 season with a committee approach at running back after letting Tony Pollard depart in free agency. Ezekiel Elliott returned as a veteran presence, but his production was very lack-luster. Rico Dowdle emerged as the lead back, but his breakout production had to wait until the back half of the season. Deuce Vaughn, a 2023 sixth-round pick, remains the change-of-pace option, which means the Cowboys’ rushing attack is a glaring need for the 2025 offseason.

Hampton’s 220-pound frame and downhill style fits the Cowboys’ need for a power running back, where he can exploit creases behind guards like Tyler Smith. Hampton’s proven he can handle 20+ carries per game, addressing Dallas’s need for a bell-cow back to control the tempo, something that was absent since Elliott’s prime. His ability to generate yards post-contact mitigates the need for pristine blocking.

Hampton would step in as the clear RB1 if Dallas drafted him. With the Cowboys potentially picking mid-round, Hampton’s round two projection fits their draft range. If they do snag him in the second round, he’d be a cost-effective solution to a pressing need without over-investing at a devalued position. A far superior investment as opposed to taking a first-round running back or taking Ashton Jeanty with the twelfth pick.