Cards to Buy Now of Hidden Gems in 2025 NFL Draft Class, Omarion Hampton
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More attention should be redirected to the 2025 NFL draft class to find hidden values ahead of the upcoming season. With no sets for a lackluster 2026 Draft class for a few months, consider this series a resource for finding lucrative options in the near future, especially with PSA’s self-mandated break likely to boost the value of ungraded cards in the short term.
We’ll kick things off with the most obvious answer: 2025 first-round pick by the Los Angeles Chargers, Omarion Hampton.
Why Omarion Hampton Will Breakout in 2026
Hampton was overshadowed throughout the draft process by Boise State standout Ashton Jeanty, who ultimately became the No. 6 overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders, but the Bolts’ Year 2 back is arguably set up for a much brighter future than his 2025 contemporary.
While Hampton’s rookie campaign was plagued by injuries, he did compile eight games with 15 or more touches, tied for the third-most by any rookie RB in a group that was collectively billed as one of the deepest and most talented in recent memory.
The 22-year-old also posted elite broken-tackle rate marks, which typically underscores a productive back at the NFL level, as well as acknowledges the porous offensive line he was playing behind when healthy.
Chargers Made Investments In Their 2026 Offense
Perhaps most important to this answer to why Hampton will break out is due to what the Chargers did this offseason to boost their Super Bowl aspirations.
That aforementioned offensive line, which deteriorated after losing both All-Pro tackles Rashawn Slater (before the season) and Joe Alt, was revamped in earnest as the team signed reliable center Tyler Biadasz to a healthy contract and then invested four draft picks into the offensive line, including presumably a plug-and-play guard in second-round pick Jake Slaughter.
Those additions arguably pale in comparison to one of the biggest free-agent gets of the offseason, as head coach John Harbaugh managed to persuade recently-fired head coach Mike McDaniel to join his staff as the offensive coordinator. McDaniel, who reportedly had interest from multiple teams to take over as their new head coach, was the architect of a revolutionary speed-oriented offense in Miami that notably allowed 2023 third-round pick De’Von Achane to explode onto the scene and cement himself as one of the league’s best backs.
The new offensive scheme led by McDaniel is almost tailor-made to fit Hampton’s skillset, and outside of talented platoon back Keaton Mitchell, there’s effectively nothing on the rest of the depth chart blocking Hampton’s path.
Which Hampton Cards to Target
By virtue of being a first-round pick, Hampton is relatively insulated by the NFL’s standards even if his production lags behind, but the card market hasn’t seemed to recognize that.
Card Ladder lists Hampton’s Prizm Silver Auto PSA 10 at $160, while raw copies can be had in the $40- $50 range.
Even more short-print versions such as Panini Select Zebra variations sit on the higher end of that scope. Two Premier Level Zebras have sold for $70 and $78 this week alone while a handful of others sit in the same range.
And because of the aforementioned grading shutdown, there's likely a litany of cheap rookie cards across all the flagship Panini products, as well as the first wave of licensed Topps Chrome, that might be easier to find in dollar boxes at places like The National.
Ultimately, when looking to cash in on players like Hampton, you're looking for liquid cards like autographs, case hits, or desirable parallels. Given that Los Angeles has a legitimate chance to make noise during the NFL postseason, it's not necessarily advantageous to sell before the start of the 2026 NFL campaign, but typically, you'll see trading card swells right before the start of every season.
Make sure to check back to this series as I'll have more players to target in the coming weeks!
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Joe is an almost psychotic Wisconsin sports fan and long-time card collector. He has been producing videos, podcasts and articles across major sports and fantasy publications since 2015, and is likely the only person you know who has an Isaiah Simmons card collection.