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ESPN stat prediction tabs star Chargers rookie with over 1,000 scrimmage yards in 2025

Originally posted on Los Angeles Chargers on SI
By Andrew Parsaud | Last updated May 21, 2025 5:30 AM ET

The Los Angeles Chargers' plan for this offseason was to provide an influx of talent to the offense, more importantly at skill positions. They were modest in free agency, signing Najee Harris and bringing back fan-favorite Mike Williams. It was the draft where the Bolts made their biggest moves, selecting Omarion Hampton and Tre Harris with their first two picks.

Hampton is a player the Chargers admitted that they didn't think would be available at their No. 22 pick. Most likely due to his production at North Carolina, it's easy to see why the Bolts believed that notion. Hampton had back-to-back 1,500 rushing seasons for the Tar Heels from 2023-24, making him one of the top ball carriers in this past draft class.

Speaking of production, Mike Clay of ESPN shared win projections and stat predictions for each NFL team. For the Chargers' rookie in Hampton, their predictions for his rookie season are as follows:

215 carries, 961 yards, nine touchdowns
39 catches, 282 yards, two touchdowns
Final tally: 254 total touches, 1,243 scrimmage yards, 11 total touchdowns

These would be solid numbers for Hampton. It's worth noting that ESPN's predictions have Hampton playing in 14 games, so they're expecting him to miss three contests. They also have Najee Harris at 130 carries for 523 yards, as the backfield is expected to split carries early on in the season.

These are obviously predictions, but if Hampton were to play in every game in this scenario, he'd almost certainly reach the 1,000-yard rushing mark as a rookie. The Bolts haven't had a 1,000 yard rusher since Melvin Gordon in 2017, so Hampton doing so as a rookie would break a long overdue drought.

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