New First-Round RB Mocked to Broncos Coming Out of the Combine

There's a new name Denver Broncos fans should get acquainted with ahead of the NFL draft.

Nick Kendell | Mar 5, 2025

Mar 1, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton (RB09) during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos are ravenous for a weapon on offense. That's the most obvious takeaway coming out of the NFL Scouting Combine.

Specifically, the Broncos are hunting for high-end pass-catching weapons at running back and tight end. Perhaps the term “joker” is overused, but it’s obviously a point of emphasis for the Broncos this offseason.

However, another trend coming out of the NFL Combine in Indianapolis is that the top running back — Boise State's Ashton Jeanty — and the top two tight ends — Tyler Warren (Penn State) and Colston Loveland (Michigan) — might not make it to pick 20 when the Broncos sit in Round 1 of the draft.

Just like ESPN's recent two-round mock draft, The Athletic's Dane Brugler has all three of the aforementioned offensive skill players coming off the board before No. 20 overall, with Jeanty going No. 6 to the Raiders, Warren to New Orleans at No. 9, and Loveland’s name called at No. 14 to Indianapolis.

Where does that leave the Broncos with their first-round selection? In his mock, Brugler pairs North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton with Denver at No. 20.

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Brugler states that it could be a "joker" here in the first round, but adding an explosive running back like Hampton could also help quench the Broncos’ thirst for a massive upgrade at the skill positions.

At the Combine, Hampton measured just under 6-foot and 221 pounds. He jumped out of the gym with a 38-inch vertical (91st percentile for backs) and 10-foot-10-inch broad jump (98th percentile), highlighting the lower-body explosiveness he displayed on film.

Hampton also ran excellent for his weight, clocking a 4.46-second unofficial 40-yard dash, with a 1.55-second 10-yard split — good speeds for any running back, let alone one weighing over 220 pounds.

According to NFL reporter Tony Pauline, some teams view Hampton as the top running back in the class over Jeanty. Whether that is the case for the Broncos remains to be seen, but with Jeanty off the board in the most recent post-Combine mocks, Hampton becomes a more viable option for the Broncos.

Is Hampton truly dynamic enough out of the backfield or split out wide to threaten opposing defenses as a true “joker?" During his time in Chapel Hill, he did haul in a total of 72 receptions for 631 yards and three touchdowns, but he's far better as a dump-off option as a checkdown than running routes against defensive back-seven players in space.

Hampton would not necessarily alleviate Sean Payton’s burning desire for a “joker” at running back, like Darren Sproles, Reggie Bush, or Alvin Kamara. But the Broncos are looking for better running backs in general to help the offense.

Don’t forget the vital roles that Deuce McAllister and Mark Ingram played for Payton's backfield in New Orleans as the muscle for his rushing attack. Hampton is not a perfect back by any means, with questions about his vision and open-field creativity as a runner, but he would unquestionably bring a level of physicality and down-to-down efficiency that the Broncos’ running backs so sorely lacked in 2024.

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