Chargers' Omarion Hampton expected to sprint past Raiders' Ashton Jeanty for OROTY

One NFL writer has high hopes for the Los Angeles Chargers’ first-round pick this year. He also has the young performer ending a surprising streak by the team.

Oct 12, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels running back Omarion Hampton (28) with the ball as Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defensive lineman Romello Height (9) and linebacker Kyle Efford (44) and defensive back Clayton Powell-Lee (5) defend in the fourth quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The last six players that have been named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year have either been a quarterback or a wide receiver. In 2024, it was Washington Commanders’ field general Jayden Daniels, just one year after Houston Texans’ hurler C.J. Stroud earned the honors. In 2021 and ’22, it was a pair of wideouts in Ja’Marr Chase and Garrett Wilson for the Cincinnati Bengals and New York Jets, respectively.

In 2019 and 2020, the nod was given to Arizona Cardinals’ quarterback Kyler Murray, followed by Los Angeles Chargers’ field general Justin Herbert, respectively. You have to go 2018 when then-New York Giants’ first-round pick Saquon Barkley was the last running back to be accorded NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.

In a recent column, ESPN’s Ben Solak came up with 10 bold predictions for the 2025 NFL season. He says that the Chargers are about to have a second player win that award in a six-year span.

“Omarion Hampton will win Offensive Rookie of the Year,” said Solak. “I think he will quickly out-touch Najee Harris, and I think the Chargers want to go back to a more run-heavy approach after turning pass-heavy out of necessity late last season. He'll outproduce fellow first-rounder Ashton Jeanty, too. I see a 1,200-rushing-yard season incoming.”

Earlier this month, Chargers’ general manager Joe Hortiz appeared on The Pat McAfee Show and spoke about the former Tar Heel and 22nd overall pick in April’s draft.

"Omarion Hampton is a really special player and we really wanted to add him to our team..

We think he can do a lot of great things for us"

Joe Hortiz #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/rLoA11tk0z

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 1, 2025

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Jeanty was the sixth overall pick last month by the rival Las Vegas Raiders. He’s expected to instantly jumpstart the worst running game in the league this past season. Meanwhile, Hampton will pair with Harris. The latter comes over from the Pittsburgh Steelers, and has never run for less than 1,000 yards in each of his four NFL seasons. According to Solak, the Chargers’ rookie will emerge as the main threat out of Jim Harbaugh’s backfield.

Regardless, the Bolts have not had a player run for at least 1,000 yards in a season since Melvin Gordon turned the trick for the franchise in 2017. Stay tuned.

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