<\/p>\n
The idea the Cincinnati Bengals could take a running back in the 2025 NFL draft isn’t an outlandish one.<\/p>\n
Just how high the Bengals would actually take the position while remaining so all-in on Chase Brown, though, is a conversation worth having.<\/p>\n
In a new mock draft from Pro Football Focus’ Dalton Wasserman, the Bengals stun and go with North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton in the first round:<\/p>\n
“Cincinnati ranked 27th in team rushing grade and 26th in yards after contact per attempt last season, highlighting a clear need for backfield help. North Carolina\u2019s Omarion Hampton is a yards-after-contact machine who could provide the Bengals with much-needed offensive balance. With buzz growing around Hampton as a potential first-round pick, Cincinnati could be the team that makes that surprise move.”<\/em><\/p>\n Barring a shocking fall for Ashton Jeanty, the Bengals don’t figure to sacrifice other positions in order to grab a running back in the opening round.<\/p>\n Hampton is a great prospect, of course — he’s an all-around player who just ran for 1,600-plus yards and 15 scores on a 5.9 average last year. But the Bengals already have Brown and brought back Samaje Perine in free agency.<\/p>\n Given the needs at offensive guard and across the defense, running back is a luxury the Bengals can’t really afford in Round 1. The team pulling off something similar to the Joe Mixon surprise in Round 2, though, could be on the table.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Bengals can’t afford to do this during the actual NFL draft.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":20783,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[489,1207,65,1211,1212,1120,370,1210,1208,1209],"class_list":["post-20782","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cincinnati-bengals","tag-ashton-jeanty","tag-chase-brown","tag-cincinnati-bengals","tag-dalton-wasserman","tag-joe-mixon","tag-mock-draft","tag-nfl-draft","tag-omarion-hampton","tag-pro-football-focus","tag-samaje-perine"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"Cap-Strapped](\"https:\/\/statico.profootballnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/12152508\/USATSI_25047894-1920x1280.jpg\")
<\/p>\n