Los Angeles Chargers fans have been pounding the table for a first-round wide receiver since before the team moved on from Mike Williams and Keenan Allen. They got a taste of just that in 2023 when the Chargers drafted Quentin Johnston with the 21st overall pick in the draft.
How is that going? Fans are still pounding on the same table — even with pressing needs at defensive line and tight end many want a Justin Jefferson-type receiver on the roster.
But if there is one thing that Jim Harbaugh’s coaching career has taught keen observers — he doesn’t care about the position. This is likely what led Daniel Popper of the Athletic to select a running back with the 22nd pick in the 2025 draft even though only Luther Burden III, Emeka Egbuka, and Matthew Golden were all still available.
22. Los Angeles Chargers Draft Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
“The Chargers can mirror the Detroit Lions as they remake their RB room. In 2023, the Lions signed David Montgomery in free agency and drafted Jahmyr Gibbs in the first round, forming one of the best running back tandems in the league in under two months,” Popper writes. “The Chargers signed former Steelers running back Najee Harris to a one-year deal last week. Hampton would round out a vastly improved top duo for the Chargers, who struggled to find consistency in the run game in offensive coordinator Greg Roman’s first season calling plays. The Chargers cut running back Gus Edwards before free agency. J.K. Dobbins, their leading rusher in 2024, remains a free agent.”
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Hampton’s dominance on the ground was a defining feature of the 2023 season, culminating in his role as the ACC’s leading rusher with an impressive 1,504 yards. However, his ability to replicate that success in 2024, particularly without quarterback Drake Maye and against defenses focused on stopping him, was even more remarkable. Hampton consistently delivered, rushing for over 100 yards in 10 of 12 games and establishing a new North Carolina single-season record with 2,033 all-purpose yards.
Hampton’s playing style is characterized by a powerful and bruising approach, complemented by a skillful blend of patience, power, and speed. This combination of attributes makes him a formidable force in the running game.