2025 Bears Draft Target: Omarion Hampton |
Now that the Senior Bowl has concluded and the Super Bowl is almost here, it's almost the official end of the NFL season. With that comes the start of the offseason for every team, as free agency, the draft, and training camp will be right around the corner.
When it comes to the Bears, not only are they facing one of the bigger offseasons in franchise history when they are looking at the decisions they have to make, but they are also facing a crucial draft, as this will be Ben Johnson's first draft as Head Coach. While most of the draft talk won't officially start until March, it's never too early to discuss potential draft targets for the Bears. One of those targets could be North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton, who is seen as a second-round prospect. When you dive into the Bears roster and how things could look next season, running back may not be seen as necessary, especially when you have D'Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson in the backfield. However, Swift was underwhelming this past season, and Johnson isn't going to get it done as the lead dog, so look for Chicago to be in the market for a running back at some point. You can bet with Eric Bieniemy as the team's new running back coach; not only would he like a running back, but an explosive one who has the potential to take it to the house with every touch. Hampton could be that guy and is someone the Bears need to look at should he be there in round two. The 6-0 220-pound junior is coming off another dominating season and has now had two consecutive strong seasons to add to his resume. After rushing for just 401 yards and six scores as a freshman, Hampton not only saw an increased load in 2023 but emerged as one of the best backs in the country. He went on to carry the rock 253 times in 2023, rushing for 1504 yards and 15 scores. Hampton also added 222 yards receiving and an additional score, showing his entire arsenal that year. If you think that season was good, Hampton upped the ante in 2024 as he continued to put up impressive numbers. This past season, Hampton saw a career-high in carries, 281, to go with a new career-high in yards 1660 and 15 scores. Hampton also saw a massive increase in touches in the passing game as he came away with 373 yards receiving and two scores. That is the type of production you look for in a running back, but given Ashton Jeanty's season, Hampton isn't talked about as much as he should be. In an era where the running back position isn't used as frequently as it once was, certain teams are trying to go with a duel back set to get the most out of their backfield. Detroit was one of those teams, as they rolled with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs this season to create a thunder-and-lightning pairing. Johnson was the architect behind the Lions' offense and success, so he knows the value of having two great backs in the backfield. Neither Swift nor Hampton provides the same value as Gibbs, but this could be the Bears' version of Sonic and Knuckles. Swift is the workhorse willing to take the beating, while Hampton would offer a significant change of pace. Given his speed and the overall physicality and size he runs with, he has the potential to be a bruising back with breakaway speed. That is the type of duel threat skill set that Johnson likes, as he could be the Bears' version of Gibbs. As good an option as this is for the Bears, there will be a lot of sorting out to do as the draft nears, as the Bears are looking to become a threat in the NFC North.
