Los Angeles Chargers grades for first rounder Omarion Hampton leave questions

Los Angeles Chargers' head coach Jim Harbaugh has had a lot of success running the football, from college to the NFL, and loves a big, workhorse running back. That is precisely what he and Chargers' GM Joe Hortiz drafted with their first round pick in the 2025 NFL draft in North Carolina's Omarion Hampton.

At 6'0", 221 pounds, Hampton ran a 4.46 forty-yard dash and had a 38" vertical at the NFL combine, showing explosive physical skills that translate to his play on the field. Given that the Chargers just signed ex-Steeler RB Najee Harris to a one-year deal and the Chargers certainly have other roster holes to fill, the pick received a range of grades.

Nov 16, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels running back Omarion Hampton (28). | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

SI

"Hampton is a strong, physical runner best suited for a power-gap scheme that highlights his downhill running style. Hampton has quick feet, impressive contact balance, well-timed patience and a strong base that makes him difficult for defenders to wrap up. He lacks an elite top gear, but Hampton has a good feel for angles, which maximizes his straight-line gains. Hampton is a serviceable security blanket out of the backfield, but his game mostly revolves around wearing down defenses and punishing prospective tacklers." Grade: B

Bleacher Report

"Jim Harbaugh's...always been a run-first coach who emphasizes a power running game. Well, no back is better prepared to play in the Los Angeles Chargers’ offense than North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton. The Chargers did sign fellow running back Najee Harris in free agency, but Hampton is far more explosive than him. Besides, they need more than one power back to shoulder the workload." Grade: A

The Athletic

Hampton is a true three-down running back — he can execute in a zone or gap scheme, inside or outside, plus be a receiver and pass protector. He’s a very good fit for the Chargers, who also nailed several picks during the first draft of the Harbaugh-Joe Ortiz regime. If Los Angeles can create more explosion in the run game, it will open up so much for Justin Herbert. This pick makes a ton of sense. Grade: A

CBS Sports

"He is a big-time runner who will upgrade their running game. He has explosive ability, which they lacked last season. We know Jim Harbaugh wants to run the football. Hampton is a nice pick, even for a back in the first." Grade: B

USA Today

"You can always count on Jim Harbaugh to lean into his identity. The Bolts continue to zig when the rest of the league zags, taking a battering ram of a ball carrier to power his ground game despite signing Najee Harris this offseason. That's a lot of brute force in one backfield. With Harris on only a one-year deal, the 6-0, 220-pound rookie doesn't have to take on a full workload right away. But with the Chargers turning down other options here to fortify a receiving corps that has leaned heavily on Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles might only be able to go as far as its running backs can carry it." Grade: B-

Yahoo Sports

"Love Hampton, love the Chargers approach to the game — don’t think this is the right fit right now for the Chargers. Hampton is an athletic, bruising running back that fits well into this scheme, but they don’t have the offensive line to quite do what they want to do." Grade: C+

All in all, the grades net out around a 'B'. Not necessarily where an organization wants to be considering the high-value and opportunity cost of a first round pick. With a draft class loaded with good running backs, the Chargers may have been better suited snagging WR Matthew Golden (Texas) or EDGE rusher James Pearce Jr. (Tennessee) in Round 1 and using one of their other nine remaining picks to grab a backfield mate for Harris.

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