The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the market for a new running back after letting Najee Harris walk in free agency to the Los Angeles Chargers. The current depth chart includes Jaylen Warren, Cordarrelle Patterson, Kenneth Gainwell, and Jonathan Ward. However, all four are set to hit free agency after the 2025 NFL season.
That’s why Pittsburgh is turning to the Draft to address the position — and they’ve already started preparing. The top prospect on the board is Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, but it’s widely expected he won’t be available when the AFC North team is on the clock with the 21st overall pick, and you can see why:
With the Boise State star likely out of reach, the black and gold are exploring other options who could compete with Jeanty. According to a report from Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazettethe Steelers welcomed Omarion Hampton of the North Carolina Tar Heels on Wednesday for a pre-Draft evaluation visit.
A native of Forest City, North Carolina, Hampton checks all the physical boxes for an NFL-caliber running back. Per his Scouting Combine results, he stands 6’0” and weighs in at 221 pounds. He clocked a 4.46 in the 40-yard dash, put up 18 reps on the bench press, and posted a 38-inch vertical.
Hampton put up stellar numbers in his final two seasons of college football. He earned the starting job and racked up 1,500 rushing yards with 15 touchdowns in 2023, followed by 1,660 yards and another 15 scores in 2024.
Another late-round option for the ground game
The Steelers aren’t locked into selecting a running back in the early rounds, and that’s opened the door to evaluating players projected to be available after Round 5 — like Oklahoma State’s Ollie Gordon II.
Gordon is a massive back whose top trait isn’t breakaway speed, but rather his ability to hit gaps created by the offensive line. One of his standout tools is a punishing stiff arm that keeps defenders at bay.
His production dipped in 2024, when he posted 854 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns — a noticeable drop from his 2023 totals of 1,732 yards and 21 scores. One concern for scouts is his limited impact in the passing game, as he averaged just 14.9 receiving yards per game last season.
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