Could the New England Patriots reunite Drake Maye with one of his best University of North Carolina teammates?
Omarion Hampton is the No. 2 ranked running back in the 2025 NFL Draft class (behind Boise State's Ashton Jeanty) after two impressive seasons as the Tar Heels' starter.
Most mock drafts have Hampton as an early second-round draft pick, maybe in the No. 34 to No. 40 range.
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Hampton ran for 1,660 yards and 15 touchdowns this past season. He rushed for 1,504 yards with 15 touchdowns in 2023 when Maye was the quarterback.
Hampton told reporters Friday, including Alex Barth of 98.5 The Sports Hub, that he met with the Patriots at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis this week. He also said it would be "amazing" to team up with Maye again, and that the Patriots quarterback took Hampton under his wing while they were at UNC.
UNC RB Omarion Hampton said it would be “amazing” to be teammates with Drake Maye again after Maye took him “under his wing” when the two were teammates with the Tar Heels.
— Alex Barth (@RealAlexBarth) February 28, 2025
Hampton said he has met with the Patriots. pic.twitter.com/wvnSgAIW4f
Running back isn't a major need for the Patriots this offseason, and it's definitely not a strong enough weakness to address with a high second-round pick. New England has the sixth pick in Round 2 (No. 38 overall).
Rhamondre Stevenson struggled with fumbles last season, but when healthy, he's capable of being a 1,000-yard rusher. He's also a good pass-catcher out of the backfield. Veteran running back Antonio Gibson also was effective for New England last season. Re-signing him in free agency would be a smart move.
If Gibson were to leave as a free agent, drafting a running back would absolutely make sense for the Patriots, but that pick likely would come long after Hampton comes off the board.
It would be cool to see Maye and Hampton as teammates again. Hampton's power running style, pass blocking and pass catching, among other talents, make him a very exciting prospect. But the Patriots need to upgrade a few more important positions with their early draft picks, most notably left tackle, wide receiver and edge rusher.
