We are inching closer to the NFL Draft and one of the most common picks among the NFL Draft experts is Omarion Hampton to the Dallas Cowboys at No. 12. Ashton Jeanty is the top running back in the class and was frequently mocked to Dallas earlier in the process, but the belief now is that he’ll be long-gone by the time the Cowboys are on the clock.
The Cowboys have an obvious need at running back, especially after letting Rico Dowdle leave this offseason. But would they actually consider taking Hampton at No. 12? Maybe. And if so, that would be a disastrous pick for many reasons.
Taking Omarion Hampton at No. 12 would be a major reach by the Cowboys
Running back is widely considered one of the least valuable positions on the football field. The common belief among most GMs in the NFL is that teams should only take “Money Five” positions inside the top 20. And those five positions are quarterback, pass rusher, offensive tackle, wide receiver, and cornerback. If you stick to those five positions, you’ll usually end up with value in Round 1.
However, there is argument that can be made for Ashton Jeanty in Round 1. He is the No. 3 player on the consensus board and would be considered a major value at pick No. 12. Yes, he doesn’t play a money-five position, but he’s an elite talent who should be considered at that pick.
But the same can’t be said for Omarion Hampton, the standout running back from North Carolina. While most people in this class believe he is the second-best running back in the class, that isn’t a consensus opinion. And the gap between he and Jeanty is much bigger than Hampton and the next back.
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Hampton is currently No. 29 on the consensus board with TreVeyon Henderson (37) and Quinshon Judkins (43) not far behind. Picking Hampton at No. 12 would mean not only are the Cowboys ignoring more important positions, but they would be reaching significantly on a lesser player.
It’s worth noting that Hampton is still a very good running back prospect who is worthy of being first-round pick. He’s got a really good combination of size, speed, and power, which is hard to find. Hampton has been productive each of the last two seasons and projects as workhorse back in the NFL right away.
But he’s not a special player. He’s not in the Bijan Robinson or Saquon Barkley tier of running backs. He’s not Ashton Jeanty and he’s not Jahmyr Gibbs either. Hampton is more in the range of Josh Jacobs, who was a first-round pick by the Raiders during the 2019 NFL Draft. Again, that’s a really good player and prospect, but he’s not special.
The Cowboys will draft a running back at some point during the 2025 NFL Draft, but there is no need to reach in what might be the deepest running back class over the last decade. Passing on much better talent at more important positions would be an incredibly short-sighted move, especially considering their current state of their wide receiver room.
We should expect to see more mock drafts with Hampton’s name attached to Dallas ahead of the draft. But here is to hoping the Cowboys ignore that urge to select a running back early and instead, opt for more impactful players at more important positions.