Chargers draft Omarion Hampton at No. 22

Hampton will join a new-look RB corps for the Chargers. Last year, the team navigated a post-Austin Ekeler era. With Jim Harbaugh running the show, the Chargers relied on some of John Harbaugh’s former favorites in 2024.

J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards were plenty productive in their roles, especially the former. Dobbins returned from a lost 2023 campaign to have one of the best seasons of his career, finishing with 1,058 yards from scrimmage and nine touchdowns. However, both of the vets naturally missed time during the season, and the team was clearly valuing availability heading into the offseason.

That explains why the team opted for Najee Harris as their veteran addition. While the former Steelers RB never truly lived up to his draft billing, he’s about as reliable as you can get at the position. Harris topped 1,000 rushing yards in each of his four seasons in Pittsburgh, and he famously never missed a regular season game.

Now, the team can pair their veteran acquisition with a dynamic rookie RB. Hampton made a name for himself in three seasons at North Carolina. He had a breakout campaign in 2023 and followed that up with an even better 2024 season. Hampton finished last year with 2,033 yards from scrimmage and 17 touchdowns. He also hauled in a career-high 38 receptions, stats that bode well for his pass-catching prowess in the NFL.

The Chargers still have some worthy depth in Hassan Haskins and Kimani Vidal, so Hampton may not be handed an immediate role. However, the rookie possesses more upside than anyone on the depth chart, and there’s a good chance he’s leading the position in touches by the end of the 2025 campaign.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.