The North Carolina Tar Heels are now caught up with some mixed feels. They are on the verge of bidding farewell to one of their best players – their prized running back Omarion Hampton. Yes, this indeed is a big loss. But at the same time, they must be super proud to find their star donning the NFL jersey.

But hold on, Hampton is going to be the ultimate fix who is going to ward off Jerry Jones’ woes. Meanwhile, another RB of the Dallas Cowboys, Miles Sanders is turning heads with his bold move. 

Omarion Hampton is riding high with his college dominance

Hampton made the trip to Indianapolis. The former UNC star is rightfully regarded as one of the best running backs in this draft class. And guess what? The Combine numbers just complemented his already high draft stocks. Although his 40-yard dash time fell outside of the top 10 for running backs, he still ran well below a 4.5, 4.46 to be exact, and he had a top two broad jump performance (10 feet, 10 inches). This was topped up with a top-four bench press output (18 reps) within his position. Going by the NFL’s grading system, Hampton has a prospect grade of 6.33, predicting that he will become a “plus starter.” On that note, analyst Ed Werder comes up with what the future has in store for the RB in the NFL. 

On March 14, he tweeted, “A consideration for the Cowboys in the draft.” Well in college, Hampton did prove himself as a good RB. Hampton is a home-run hitter who had 1,660 yards and 15 rushing TDs in 2024. Now where does he fit in Jones’ puzzle? The Cowboys need to jumpstart their run game. For that, they need a legit running back. Even though Rico Dwindle was decent with 1,079 yards, he is a free agent now. Well, there has been hype about Ashton Jeanty boarding Jones’ wagon. 

Even though Hampton is not as prolific as Jeanty, the Cowboys can very well benefit from the Tar Heels running back and his own level of explosiveness. After all, he ranked the second-best in a series of things. Second-best RB in the last decade in YPC on runs when hit behind the line, second-best in the highest percentage of the team’s entire touches (44%), and second-best in the highest percentage of the team’s entire receptions (17%). “A true workhorse RB” in all terms. Hampton is thus a prize no one wants to lose. But does that guarantee a smooth road to the NFL for him?

Can Miles Sanders reignite his career with the Cowboys?

Omarion Hampton coming off as the perfect piece to the Dallas Cowboys puzzle is indeed news worth celebrating. Here comes another big news. Does that call for a party? Maybe, or maybe not. Free agent running back, Miles Sanders is planning to sign a one-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys. The Carolina Panthers had let go of Sanders. Now was it a financially sound decision on their part?

Absolutely! It saved them $5.225 million against the salary cap. It’s now time for Sanders to return to the NFC East, where he spent four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. Now it’s some swap action taking place in the NFL. Dwindle now makes space for the free agent RB as he commits to Sanders’ former team, Carolina Panthers. However, he has signed a one-year deal worth $3 million. But when Sanders signed with Panthers it was a four-year deal worth $25.4 million in 2023. 

Now that he is stepping into Jerry Jones’ squad, let’s just brush up some stats. The RB rushed for only 637 yards and three touchdowns in two seasons with Carolina, including a career-low 205 yards on 55 carries in 2024. So maybe, it’s better to not have high hopes for Miles Sanders. Omarion Hampton’s impact in Dallas seems promising, and if Sanders steps up too, it’s a double win.