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Broncos Add Impressive Offensive Weapon in New Athlon NFL Mock Draft

The offseason for the Denver Broncos is all about adding as many weapons as possible for quarterback Bo Nix.

In free agency, the Broncos added some defensive help and tight end Evan Engram, one of the NFL's best receiving tight ends.

Last season, the Broncos' rushing attack was subpar. They ranked 16th in rushing yards and averaged just 4.1 yards per carry, the fourth-worst average in the NFL.

During free agency, the Broncos' leading rusher, Javonte Williams, signed a one-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys. In 2024, Williams led the Broncos in rushing with just 513 yards.

In Luke Easterling's latest four-round mock draft, he has the Broncos landing North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton with the 20th overall pick.

"Surrounding Bo Nix with as much help as possible needs to be the focus for Denver in this draft, and that could start by stabilizing the ground game," Easterling wrote.

"Hampton has the skills as both a runner and a receiver to be a big-play machine on every down, giving Sean Payton a true featured back to help balance the offense and take pressure off their young quarterback."

The 22-year-old has rushed for 3,164 yards, averaging 5.9 yards per carry, and scored 30 touchdowns over the last two seasons at Chapel Hill.

In the receiving game, Hampton averaged 9.8 yards per reception and totaled 373 yards on 38 catches.

Denver haven't had a 1,000-yard rusher since Phillip Lindsay achieved that goal in 2019. He has since retired and begun a radio career.

Some teams believe that Hampton might be the best running back in the draft. If he slides to the Broncos, they would arguably have the steal of the draft.

If the Broncos select Hampton, they would have a real shot at making a deep playoff run.

Related: Broncos Select 2,200 Yard Receiver in Latest Mock Draft

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This story was originally published March 22, 2025 at 9:00 AM.

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