The Pittsburgh Steelers’ running back search officially added three more names to the expanding list of hopefuls on April 9 in the absence of four-year starter Najee Harris.
Omarion Hampton, a possible first-round draft pick, was the main attraction.
According to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette beat writer Ray Fittipaldo, the Steelers hosted Hampton (North Carolina) and Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon II on Wednesday, along with Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon.
Justin Melo of the Draft Network also stated that UCF ball carrier RJ Harvey informed him that he had a pre-draft visit with the Steelers slated for a few hours later on April 9. Melo disclosed this detail following an exclusive chat with Harvey.
Where in the 2025 running back class do Ollie Gordon, RJ Harvey, and Omarion Hampton rank as potential Steelers draft targets?
On April 9, Dane Brugler, an NFL draft guru for The Athletic, published his in-depth prospect guide, “The Beast.” He provided his complete 2025 running back rating in it.
Everyone appears to agree that Hampton is this draft class’s RB2 second only to Ashton Jeanty. In his top 100, Brugler did not disagree, placing the 6-foot North Carolina product 29th overall.
Harvey, who is 5 feet 8 inches tall, was ranked No. 8 in Brugler’s top 10 running back rankings.
In the top 100 overall, he came in at number 93. Gordon (6-foot-1) was the only one of the three to not place in Brugler’s top 100. At the moment, he is Brugler’s fourteenth running back.
Ollie Gordon and Omarion Hampton are larger running backs with superior contact balance and acceleration.
Harvey is far less similar to Hampton and Gordon in terms of their skill sets. The most well-rounded of the three is, predictably, the prospective first rounder.
Hampton, who is 22 years old, was a two-year starter and a 1,500-yard rusher twice. With just under 600 receiving yards over the last two seasons, he can also catch the football well.
Hampton has a “NFL-ready frame” and is a “proven” long-lasting workhorse, according to Brugler.
In order to speed past traffic or press and cut into slivers of daylight, Hampton swiftly reads the blocking technique and gathers his feet, according to Brugler.
“He will slam the gas pedal into second-level defenders once he gets north-south, but occasionally he sacrifices his balance in the process.”
Gordon and Hampton are comparable in that they both use power and contact balance in their “bruising” technique.
In 2023, Gordon, then 21 years old, ran for more than 1,700 yards at Oklahoma State, garnering him unanimous All-America recognition. However, he only managed 880 rushing yards in 2024 with fewer support.
Despite being one of the larger backs in the draft, Gordon needs to show even more physicality, according to Brugler.
Gordon’s “promise as a blocker and pass catcher will help his chances on an NFL depth chart,” he said, as a plus. Gordon and Hampton both might be capable of leading a backfield, but Hampton is more “can’t miss.”
Former Quarterback RJ Harvey Has “Dynamic Make-You-Miss” Elusiveness
Although Harvey is different from Hampton and Gordon, there are still many positive aspects about him as a runner.
Both of those players have spent the most of their football careers as bell-cow running backs, while Harvey, a former quarterback, only swapped positions at UCF.
In his final two seasons, he assumed RB1 responsibilities and accumulated about 3,000 running yards in those two years.
“He is a dynamic make-you-miss runner with his tempo and burst (54 carries of 10 or more yards in 2024), which made him a frequent visitor to the end zone (UCF-record 48 total touchdowns), even though he lacks the power to drive through the first level,” Brugler scouted.
“Overall, Harvey needs to improve his consistency on passing downs, but he is adept at changing lanes and patiently settling his feet with his lateral quickness and instinctive field vision,” the statement goes on.
He would be most successful in an NFL timeshare role, much like Tyjae Spears. The fact that Harvey will be 24 before the start of the 2025 season is a significant blow to him.
He may also resemble current depth chart leaders Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell too much in regard to the Steelers.