Dallas Cowboys prospect watch: Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina

The Dallas Cowboys desperately need to revive their run game, they would be wise to target one of the top running back prospects.

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Omarion Hampton could be the ideal running back for the Dallas Cowboys, providing a powerful and dynamic addition to their backfield. As the Cowboys will hopefully look to strengthen their ground game, Hampton’s skill set fits perfectly with the team’s balanced offensive approach.

Standing at 6-foot, 220 pounds, Hampton brings the combination of size, speed, and physicality that can wear down defenses, giving the Cowboys a reliable workhorse for the future.

Hampton’s ability to break tackles and gain yards after contact makes him a dangerous runner, especially between the tackles.

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Which is exactly what the Cowboys need to complement their current backfield.

Omarion Hampton had 29 carries for 103 yards, along with four catches for 50 yards, in a 21-20 loss to the Duke Blue Devils.

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Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina (Jr.)

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The Cowboys currently have the worst rushing offense in the league, averaging 76.3 yards per game, and rank third worst in rushing yards per attempt. To make matters worse, they have the fewest rushes over 10 yards, with only four—three of which have come from wide receiver CeeDee Lamb.

The Cowboys' need for a running back is becoming more urgent, and with limited cap space in free agency and an unwillingness to make a trade, fans should temper their hopes for a new star running back at least until the 2025 Draft.

MORE: Jerry Jones confident in Cowboys' run game despite scrutiny

Through five games in the 2024 season, Omarion Hampton has recorded 114 carries for 658 yards (5.8 YPC) and six touchdowns, along with 13 catches for 107 yards. His best performance so far came against the North Carolina Central Eagles, where he had 25 carries for 210 yards and three touchdowns, along with one catch for six yards.

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In the 2023 season, Omarion Hampton had 253 carries for 1,503 yards (5.9 YPC) and 15 touchdowns, while also adding 29 catches for 222 yards and a touchdown.

For those who believe any running back can pad their stats against lower-tier ACC teams, it’s worth noting that his third-best game in terms of rushing yards came against Clemson, a program known for consistently producing NFL talent in the front seven.

In that game, Hampton posted 19 carries for 178 yards and two touchdowns.

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Five Words to Describe Hampton

- Tenacious

- Bell-Cow

- Balanced

- Relentless

- Productive

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NFL Comparison: J.K. Dobbins

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Hampton certainly presents more as a receiving threat out of the backfield, but he and Dobbins share similar running styles. Both running backs excel between the tackles with terrific downhill running. They can effortlessly get to the second level and are just one cut away from breaking off a big play.

Both are strong and consistently break tackles, which is something the Cowboys desperately need after failing to register a broken tackle in the running game during the first three weeks of the season.

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