The Kansas City Chiefs have well-known offensive line issues, and even the signing of Jaylon Moore has done little to convince that Patrick Mahomes’ protection will hold up in 2025. That has led some to suggest the Chiefs will take an offensive lineman in the first round of the draft, with Josh Conerly Jr. and Josh Simmons being the ones linked the most to the AFC champs.

But as we know, teams can pull a surprising move on draft day, and for the Chiefs, there is another position that The Sporting News’ Vinny Lyer thinks is an option. In his latest mock draft, North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton comes to beef up the backfield.

“The Chiefs last whiffed with a first-round running back five years ago with Clyde Edwards-Helaire, but that shouldn’t stop them from looking at Hampton as a potential three-down game-changer in their offense given the recent limitations of Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco,” Lyer writes. With Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco, the Chiefs get younger at the position, and in Hampton, they bring in a physical battering ram who punishes defenses with his brutal style.

Plus, Hampton is a genuine three-down back and has the ability to carry a heavy workload, but with Hunt and Pacheco, he could form a solid trio that injects some excitement into what was the 26th-best run game in 2024 (101.2 yards per game). Yes, the offensive line is a glaring need for Kansas City, but if Hampton falls, could they really pass on him?