2025 NFL Draft: Mel Kiper Jr. defends surprise Omarion Hampton Cowboys selection in latest mock with new intel

ESPN’s Mel Kiper released his latest mock draft on Tuesday, projecting the Dallas Cowboys to take a running back. Not the one Dallas has been linked with for most of the cycle, though. Kiper has the Cowboys taking North Carolina‘s Omarion Hampton with the No. 12 overall pick.

“Those Cowboys have gone running back in the first round before with Emmitt Smith, Ezekiel Elliott, and now, you’ve got Omarion Hampton from North Carolina,” Kiper said Tuesday during a SportsCenter Special. “Omarion Hampton back-to-back years, he had one with Drake Maye where he went for 1,500+ yards and then had over 1,600 yards this year.

“Both years averaged around six yards per carry and 15 touchdowns each year, 622 career carries. Remember, Ashton Jeanty had around 750. He’s a proven entity, caught the ball out of the backfield this year, 38 receptions. He’ll block. This is a pick for the Dallas Cowboys, a need pick. He’s 19 on my big board.”

Dallas certainly needs a running back this offseason, if not multiple. Rico Dowdle was the team’s top rusher from a season ago but is set to hit free agency and the price tag to bring Dowdle back may be too much for comfort. Even if he were to return, another playmaker is needed in the room.

This is where Jeanty comes into play, being a popular mock selection for the Cowboys. But Kiper has the Boise State product going No. 6 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders. Instead of finding a different running back on Day 2, like Field Yates questioned, Hampton is the pick at No. 12.

Kiper believes Dallas would be getting a heck of a player too. NFL teams apparently agree with him as Kiper says some have Hampton ranked ahead of Jeanty on their big board. That piece of sourced information was what gave the ESPN draft guru the comfortability of placing Hampton in Dallas.

“I’ve heard this week that some teams have Omarion Hampton as RB1,” Kiper said. “Once I heard that, that maybe 25, 30% were thinking that, Omarion Hampton gets into the first round mock, Dallas Cowboys No. 12 overall.”

As mentioned, Dallas does have some experience selecting a first-round running back. Elliott was the pick at No. 4 nine years ago, turning into instant success. Jerry Jones could find something similar in Hampton if he follows Kiper’s advice.