With just two weeks to go until the 2025 NFL Draft, Pittsburgh Steelers fans are attempting to narrow down which position their favorite team could target in the first round. With the quarterback situation uncertain, we can't put it past this organization to take a stab on a QB prospect like Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart. Meanwhile, the interior defensive line remains a pressing need.
While it's clear general manager Omar Khan values the trenches, Pittsburgh's latest visit suggests the Steelers could fall into the same traps of the past.
On April 9, the Steelers hosted North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton for a pre-draft visit. Hampton is an impressive running back prospect with an outstanding combination of size and speed and the ability to slip off tackles with ease.
But to take Hampton means spending a first-round pick on a running back. And the thought of doing so is sure to bring back bad memories for Steelers fans.
The Pittsburgh Steelers should avoid RB Omarion Hampton in Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft
As much as I like Hampton as a prospect, I can't get behind the philosophy of taking a running back (not named Ashton Jeanty) at pick 21. And considering Jeanty isn't going to fall that far in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Steelers shouldn't consider taking a running back at all in Round 1.
Though Hampton might be a top-25 overall talent in this class, we can't ignore positional value (or lack thereof in this case). Outside of a few spectacular NFL running backs like Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry, most RBs are only going to be as good as the offensive line in front of them and the scheme they have to work with.
Some NFL executives claim that teams aren't as high on Hampton as those in the media, and his ball-carrier vision has even come into question. But even if Hampton is a good player, it's malpractice to take a running back at pick 21 when the Steelers have other significant roster needs.
Pittsburgh made this mistake in one of Kevin Colbert's final seasons as general manager when the Steelers rushed to turn their card in for Alabama running back Najee Harris with the 24th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Instead of paying James Conner, the front office opted for a quick fix at the position, and it proved to be a waste of valuable draft capital.
Hampton would be entering a better position than Harris if drafted by the Steelers, but taking a position with a short shelf life is hard to get behind. Instead, Pittsburgh should focus on a 'money' position in the first round, like wide receiver or interior defensive line. Even taking a swing at a quarterback would make more sense from a roster-building standpoint.
The Steelers' pre-draft visit with Omarion Hampton is a concerning sign that this team could fall victim to the same trap they fell into during the 2021 NFL Draft. Pittsburgh doesn't have a second-round pick, and Hampton won't make it that far anyway, but they can't afford to spend a first-round pick on the North Carolina running back in 2025.