When the Chargers selected running back Omarion Hampton in the first round of the NFL draft, analysts raved at how good of a fit he was with Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman’s offense. Roman is known for his run game schematics and Harbaugh loves to pound the rock to control the clock and seal victories.
So far through one game of the 2025 season, the Chargers are 1-0 and Hampton did his job — for the most part — consistently enough to help the team get there.
On Wednesday, analysts at ESPN went out predicting
the winner of this year’s annual league awards, including MVP, offensive and defensive rookies of the year, and so on. To the surprise of some who believe Ashton Jeanty will be the runaway favorite for ORoY, it was actually Hampton who ended up getting the nod as the eventual winner of the award.
Here’s everything the analysts had to say about the prediction and who else could challenge Hampton throughout the year:
“Several rookies have a strong case, resulting in a lack of consensus among the voters. At least seven players among the top 40 picks received at least one vote. Evaluators project a big year for Colts tight end Tyler Warren, who pushed for the top spot.“
“But Hampton has a few things going for him. HIs offensive coordinator is Greg Roman, whose love for the run game runs deep. Najee Harris sat out all of camp because of an eye issue, and though he’s back, Hampton is well-positioned as a primary back, resulting in 17 touches for 61 yards in his Week 1 debut vs. Kansas City.“
“‘He’s on a team that’s had playoff success and is going to run the football,’ an AFC scout said. ‘He’s a perfect back for that offense. Ashton Jeanty is a good player, but I’m not sure the Raiders will be good enough.‘”
“Also, many evaluators say they believe Emeka Egbuka is destined to drive award-season conversations in the future. He received several votes alongside Warren, and those were before his two-touchdown debut in Atlanta.”
Hampton carried the ball 15 times for 48 yards while chipping in a pair of catches for another 13 receiving yards against the Chiefs in Brazil. While it may look like an underwhelming debut for the first-rounder, I actually believe Hampton played a key role for the Bolts in their win. While Hampton had plenty of runs get stuffed up at the line, there were still a number that helped the Chargers get ahead of the chains on drives that eventually led to points. Outside of the run out of bounds in the final minutes, Hampton was solid in pass protection and was much more of a net-positive on the field than not.
If he ends up winning the award, it also means the Chargers likely had a strong season as a whole. Here’s to hoping all of this can come to fruition!
