The Los Angeles Chargers will have a new-look running back room in the second year of Jim Harbaugh’s stint as the team’s head coach. The Bolts used a first-round pick in the recently concluded 2025 NFL draft on North Carolina Tar Heels football product and running back Omario Hampton, who joins a Los Angeles squad that relied a lot on its running attack in 2024.
But while the Chargers were 10th in the league that season with a 44.91 rushing play percentage, they were just 20th in the NFL with 107.3 rushing yards per game and 27th with 4.0 rushing yards per play.
Nevertheless, Hampton brings plenty of promise for Los Angeles’ ground game, as he looks forward to making a mark in Harbaugh’s offense.
“We know (Harbaugh)’s going to run the ball, he’s decided to run the ball and it’s something he wants to do,” Hampton said (h/t Christian Gonzales of NFL.com). “He did it all his career, so I’m just excited to get started. With him being my head coach, I couldn’t be more happy.”
Los Angeles Chargers rookie RB will look to make a difference right away
Hampton isn’t going to be a lock to be the Chargers’ RB1 in 2025.
Apart from his obvious lack of experience in the NFL, Hampton also faces a big challenge to win that role in the backfield with Najee Harris now with the Bolts, who signed with the team via a one-year deal worth $5.525 million after spending his first four years in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
In his final two years with the Tar Heels, Hampton rushed for 3,164 yards and 30 touchdowns through 25 games.
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