Giants Host Potential First-Round Running Back

The New York Giants’ long list of offseason priorities seems to include adding another running back to the stable. Round 5 rookie Tyrone Tracy Jr. broke out in 2024, surpassing 1,000 yards from scrimmage and entrenching himself in the future of the offense. Yet, the team was below average on the ground (by expected points added per rush and success rate).

The best version of the Giants offense includes a better complement to Tracy – a back who can win with his physicality and earn playing time through pass protection.

New York has searched for said back throughout the draft cycle, and the team's 30 visits have emphasized gathering information on a litany of powerful backs.

On Thursday, per Ian Rapoport, that trend continued when the Giants hosted potential first-round running back Omarion Hampton on a visit.

Make no mistake, he won’t be New York’s first-rounder (barring a trade back into Round 1). But there’s a real chance he comes off the board on April 24 to a team like the Denver Broncos or Pittsburgh Steelers as they look for a new workhorse. Assuming general manager Joe Schoen doesn’t set social media ablaze by trading up for a running back it's safe to assume Hampton is a possibility for No. 34, when the Giants pick in the second round.

Hampton’s hype is generated from an absurd athletic profile. He ran a 4.46-second 40-yard dash at 5-11, 221, with elite jumps to signal his explosiveness. He’s dense and has innate leverage because of his frame, and that power flashes consistently.

There’s some Nick Chubb in his game, garnering him fans in Cleveland, although there is also work to be done with his vision and footwork to truly blossom into a star. Throw in lateral agility that lags behind the rest of his athletic profile and it’s easier to see why he should be available on Day 2.

In a deep running back class, it’s possible (but not very likely) that he’s on the board when New York kicks off Round 3. Given the team’s needs in the trenches, at cornerback, and under center, pushing a running back selection later into the draft makes sense, and Schoen has done plenty of work on potential options.

Hampton joins Oklahoma State’s Ollie Gordon, Ohio State’s Quinshon Judkins, and Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson as physical backs the Giants have hosted for a visit.