Chargers being criticized for Omarion Hampton first round pick is absolutely foolish for obvious reasons

The Los Angeles Chargers drafted North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton with the 22nd overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and the response has been, well, varied, to say the least. Some people are loving the selection, while multiple outlets are criticizing the pick, especially in a deep running back draft class.

There are multiple reasons why I love the pick and think that the criticism of it doesn't make sense. Saying that they shouldn't have taken a running back because there are other running backs lacks any sort of context or nuanced discusson about the fit, which is critical.

he’s hereeee pic.twitter.com/0dcld0cTu4
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) April 25, 2025

The Ringer graded the pick as a C+. Here's what they had to say about the selection:

"Well, the Chargers are going to run the hell out of the ball in 2025. Hampton is a big, physical back with turbo-boosted acceleration, giving the team some much-needed juice in the backfield. Hampton is a tackle-breaking runner and creates plays on his own, and there’s little doubt he’ll be productive behind this team’s line alongside Najee Harris. But this is an extremely deep running back class, and the team could have waited until Day 2 to find another back. I question the value here for the Chargers, who pass on a handful of explosive receivers and talented edge rushers."

The analysis starts off great, highlighting all the wonderful things that Hampton brings to the table, and it's very accurate — he's strong, powerful, and is coming off back-to-back seasons with over 1,500 rushing yards and 15+ touchdowns. He's hyper-productive, physical, breaks a ton of tackles, and had over 60 missed tackled forced last season. So why are we knocking it?

If it's because Najee Harris exits, he's on a one-year contract worth only in the neighborhood of $5 million dollars. Hampton is now under team control for four years plus a fifth year option. When you purchase a sports car, you make sure you have insurance on it. That's all Harris is.

If you're going to criticize the Chargers for taking a running back instead of waiting to take another running back, that makes zero sense. Clearly they, along with many people, have Hampton graded as an elite option with a first round grade. In a Greg Roman run scheme with Jim Harbaugh as their head coach, the Chargers want a workhorse back capable of carrying the freight and punishing opposing defenses. That's what Hampton does. Could they have drafted a different running back later? Maybe. But why would they not take the player that they believe is the perfect fit for what they want to do?

.@chargers @OmarionHampton is a BOLT. AN XXXplosive workhorse RB. Perfect fit for a HARBS Team. #bolts #nfldraft #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/bzoOzaBC3G
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) April 25, 2025

He can split the backfield with Harris in year one, fully take over in year two, and they'll be off and running with an elite ground game to support Justin Herbert on offense. This is the perfect player for the identity and scheme of the Chargers. It's an A+ pick no matter how you slice it.

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