Behind the Steel Curtain
A battering ram out of North Carolina, Hampton would bring a physicality to Pittsburgh. But would he fit the team’s plans?
Approaching the 2025 NFL Draft, we’ll be scouting as many of the top prospects that the Pittsburgh Steelers could have their eye on anywhere from Rounds 1 through 7. We’ll break down the prospects themselves, strengths and weaknesses, projected draft capital and their fit with the Steelers.
When the Steelers declined to pick up the fifth-year option on Najee Harris last year, it became clear running back would be a position to watch for them in the 2025 draft. That’s even truer now. Jaylen Warren, third-down back Kenneth Gainwell and aging ex-wideout Cordarrelle Patterson do not make the most inspiring room for a team that seemingly has wanted to dedicate itself to a run-heavy, clock-grinding playstyle.
Fortunately, the 2025 running back class is shaping up to be one of the better groups in recent memory. It’s already drawing comparisons to the 2017 class, which had several noteworthy running backs, including former Steeler James Connor.
If the Steelers are looking for a back capable of being a bellcow, few prospects match that description quite as well as North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton.
A four-star recruit, Hampton chose to stay in his home state of North Carolina despite receiving offers from Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, LSU, Florida and several other Big 10 and SEC schools. After playing sparingly during his freshman season, Hampton cemented himself as a workhorse with over 250 carries and 1,500 rushing yards in both his sophomore and junior seasons.
Hampton looks the part and his tough running style is part of what makes him such an intriguing prospect.
It’s one thing to be a tough runner. The NFL has had plenty of plodding, big-bodied backs carve out a role for a season or two. But what makes Hampton special is the short area burst he possesses. Take these two runs against Florida State below. The first is just a standard first down run — and UNC’s line does a good job of giving Hampton a big hole to hit — but in the blink of an eye he’s accelerated for six yards to keep the Tar Heels ahead of the sticks. In the second clip, Florida State initially seems to have done a decent job of muddying up the running lanes for Hampton. However, he finds a crease and never slows down his feet, hitting a small hole before winding back, doing a mini-hurdle over a tackler diving at his feet. Again, note how quickly he gets upfield.
That burst holds up if Hampton gets to the second level untouched. There are...
