The North Carolina Tar Heels got tremendous production from star running back Omarion Hampton in 2024. Now, he’s onto the NFL, headed to join the Los Angeles Chargers after being selected in the first round.
Who will be expected to step up and fill in for the production left behind by Hampton?
What Does the UNC RB Room Look Like Ahead of the 2025 College Football Season?
Davion Gause (Sophomore)
Gause surprised many last season, contributing at a high level in his first game as a true freshman. Though it was against Charlotte, he ran the ball 16 times and rushed for 105 yards and a score. He contributed throughout the rest of the season in a relief role for Hampton.
Still a very young player, Gause has the potential to be a star for UNC. While it’s unlikely he’ll assume the workload that Hampton had last year, he should enter the season as the starter and receive a bulk of the carries.
Benjamin Hall (Junior)
The lone transfer portal addition to this group, Hall, comes over after two seasons with the Michigan Wolverines. In Ann Arbor, the 5’11”, 235-pound back was primarily used in short-yardage situations, carrying the ball 44 times for 141 yards.
He could easily assume that role from the jump with the Tar Heels, with the ability to grow into a more all-around contributor with more reps after leaving the crowded Michigan RB room.
Charleston French (Redshirt Sophomore)
At 5’9″, 205 pounds, French packs a punch — while also having the requisite speed to breakaway for a touchdown, as he did on a 45-yard scamper a season ago. However, that proved to be his only touchdown, as he only carried the ball 10 times for 84 yards.
The Mississippi native was expected to be the backup last season but was overtaken by Gause. Now, French finds himself in a similar situation in an in-depth role.
Caleb Hood (Redshirt Senior)
Hood, going on his fifth year with the Tar Heels, has stuck around despite a decrease in playing time over the past two seasons.
His best season came in 2022, when he carried the ball 43 times for 250 yards. Since then, he’s only managed 31 carries for 124 yards. Similar to French, he’ll likely assume a depth role once again.
Demon June (True Freshman)
An early enrollee, June was a three-star recruit out of Jacksonville, N.C. He was a two-time conference player of the year in high school and could be a solid player for the Tar Heels in the future.
KEEP READING: North Carolina Football Transfer Portal
Jariel Cobb (True Freshman)
Cobb, a three-star recruit, is set to join the team in the fall. He is also an in-state recruit, as he hails from Reidsville, N.C. Standing 5’10, 185 pounds, he projects as a sort of scat-back of the future for UNC.
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