Bear Digest

Explaining Bears' apparent lack of interest in Omarion Hampton

Analysis: Are the Bears simply playing it coy by not bringing North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton for a 30 visit or is there something else at work here?
Gene Chamberlain|
Omarion Hampton powers past defensive back Nick Andersen for North Carolina last season. Is Hampton a top-10 pick, or may No. 10?
Omarion Hampton powers past defensive back Nick Andersen for North Carolina last season. Is Hampton a top-10 pick, or may No. 10? | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

The biggest lineup hole facing the Bears heading into this draft revolves around the running back position.

They have edge rushers and signed one, although they could use another. They definitely need depth on the offensive line and someone to be ready at left tackle or guard for next year should they lose Braxton Jones or Joe Thuney after 2025.

However, at running back there is the lack of a powerful back who plays the "Knuckles" role to "Sonic" in the Ben Johnson attack, like he had in Detroit with David Montgomery. There is immediacy in this need unless they really do think D'Andre Swift can break more tackles than he has shown.

This is no way discounts the abilities of Swift, but he has shown in most of his five seasons he is no power back and his carries at Detroit dropped from over 12 a game to an average just over seven following one year in Johnson's offense prior to going to Philadelphia.

The Bears have looked at a speed back, though, as Brashard Smith from SMU came to Halas Hall. He's possibly the best receiving back in the draft because he was a receiver.

It's rather obvious top back Ashton Jeanty won't make it to No. 10. If he does, it solves everything for the Bears.

The great mystery is the Bears' lack of outward interest in North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton.

Hampton hasn't had a Bears 30 visit but has been at Dallas and today went to Pittsburgh.

Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports posted a comment about Hampton: "North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton continues to skyrocket up draft boards. One executive I spoke with compared him and Ashton Jeanty to the Bijan Robinson-Jahmyr Gibbs class, saying both will go “very early."

Sometime agents or personnel people say these types of things to benefit their own interests or those of their clients but in Hampton's case it would only appear logical. If Jeanty is No. 1, then there must be a No. 2, and teams will look closely to see if he rates close enough to Jeanty to be chosen earlier in Round 1. It's the same sort of thing that happened at the quarterback position.

Pro Football Focus had Hampton graded 24th player in this draft but that's hardly a consensus. In fact, ESPN's Mel Kiper had him going to Dallas at No. 12 in his latest mock draft.

The analytic website Sportsinfosolutions.com has the 6-foot, 221-pound Hampton not only being good enough to go No. 12, but to go all the way up at No. 7.

"Hampton shows the well-rounded ability and plus athleticism required of a three-down starting back at the next level who is always a threat to rip off a big gain," concludes Jeremy Percy in the website's scouting report.

So if Hampton is this good, why no Bears interest, especially when they really need that explosive type of power as their chief ball carrier?

It's fairly obvious and it could be one of three things. It really might not be what it seems.

1. The Ruse

If there are teams drafting right after the Bears who covet Hampton, like Dallas seems to, then why advertise your interest? If no one sees your interest in the player, perhaps they're willing to sit still and not try and trade ahead to take him before the Bears.

2. The Setup

Maybe the Bears have their eye on someone else among the backs available, and if Dallas is willing to give up a pick and move up two places to No. 10 to make sure they get him, then sit quietly until Jerry Jones come calling looking to move up.

3. Playing the Game

If Pittsburgh has a real interest in Hampton, maybe the Bears can move all the way back to No. 21 and rake in a few extra picks before they select a lineman for either side of the ball later in Round 1, and then other needed positions like running back and safety later with pick acquired from Pittsburgh for the trade back.

It's all part of the gamesmanship of Round 1, so the apparent Bears lack of interest in Hampton or many of the backs beyond Jeanty and Smith can't be taken for much more than trying to keep their hand well protected from prying eyes.

The Bears didn't mind people knowing they like Smith because he's a player who will be taken later and could wind up anywhere as a limited-use player.

It benefits no one to let teams know you're interested in a top player until you're actually handing in the card with his name on it on draft day.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.