“Every little detail matters.” – Sean Payton, casually dropping a mantra that’s half-coach ‘speak, half-Ocean’s Eleven heist planning. Let’s set the stage: It’s April 2025, and the Denver Broncos‘ rushing attack last season was about as explosive as a soggy firecracker. Ranked 29th in the NFL with 1,478 yards and a yikes-worthy 4.1 yards per carry, their ground game had all the finesse of a toddler trying to parallel park. Javonte Williams?
Gone after averaging 3.7 yards a pop—brutal. Enter Sean Payton, the man who turned Alvin Kamara into a cheat code, now staring at a draft class dripping with RB talent. But here’s the plot twist: Denver’s not just shopping for a back—they’re eyeing two potential game-changers. Cue the drama.
The Mixon Clone? Meet Omarion Hampton, North Carolina’s 6’0”, 220-pound human wrecking ball. In 2024, he bulldozed for 1,660 yards (5.9 YPC) and 15 TDs, looking like Joe Mixon’s spiritual successor—if Mixon drank protein shakes laced with lightning. “He’s an absolute workhorse. Got that Joe Mixon comp, more explosive,” gushed NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
As Sean Payton and the #Broncos look to add a RB in the draft, here are two names to keep an eye on…
@TheHerd with @colincowherd pic.twitter.com/cMsOV4DZSh
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) April 18, 2025
The stats don’t lie: Both guys rock near-identical 40 times (Hampton: 4.46; Mixon: 4.43) and share a knack for turning tackles into confetti. But here’s the kicker: Hampton’s hungrier. After turning down NIL deals “four times” bigger elsewhere to stay loyal to UNC, he’s got that Rocky Balboa underdog vibe Payton loves.
Need more proof? Peep Hampton’s 2024 tape vs. Florida State: 265 all-purpose yards, 5 TDs—in one game. Mixon might’ve owned Cincy, but Hampton’s out here rewriting the script. “I’m a three-down back. I can do everything,” he declared at the Combine, sounding less like a prospect and more like a superhero ordering a latte. For a team that hasn’t had a 1,000-yard rusher since 2017? This isn’t a want. It’s a need.
TreVeyon Henderson: The Home Run Hitter With a Side of Pancakes
Meanwhile, in Columbus, Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson spent four years treating defenses like speed bumps. Career stats? Try 3,761 rushing yards, 42 TDs, and a chef’s kiss 6.4 YPC. But here’s the real mic-drop: Dude’s the best pass-blocking RB in this draft—a skill as rare as a quiet Jets fan.
“Pass protecting as a RB isn’t easy… but I’m willing to do it for the love of my brothers,” Henderson said, serving up locker-room poetry. As Jordan pointed out, “Henderson, the best pass protecting running back in this draft. So you can play him on all three downs.”
Payton, who values third-down backs like Scorsese values De Niro, is obsessed. Henderson’s 2024 tape? Pure filth: 1,016 yards, 10 TDs, and a 61-yard TD sprint against Notre Dame that left DBs gasping like fish. “He’s both a rush/receiver threat,” tweeted insider Mike Klis, noting Henderson’s 27-catch season. Translation: He’s Kamara 2.0 with a side of Madden create-a-player vibes. With Denver hosting him for a top-30 visit, this isn’t a flirtation—it’s a pre-draft marriage proposal.
Via X @TreVeyon Henderson
Let’s get real: the Broncos’ $16.6M cap space is tighter than Spandex on a sumo wrestler. Splashing cash in free agency? Nope. That’s why Payton’s playing Moneyball, hunting value like Brad Pitt in a ballcap. “It’s a pretty good draft for running backs,” he smirked, understatement thicker than Mile High altitude. Hampton or Henderson? Both fit Payton’s “joker” RB mold—versatile, violent, and vicious after contact.
But here’s the rub: Denver picks 20th. Grabbing Hampton there feels like buying a Ferrari at a Kia price. Henderson? Maybe a tad rich, but his pass-blocking chops are worth their weight in gold-plated footballs. “You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain,” as a certain Gotham vigilante once said. Payton’s walking that line—bet big on potential, or play it safe and regret it by Week 3.
In the end, this isn’t just about RBs. It’s about identity. The Broncos haven’t had a rushing attack that scared anyone since Terrell Davis was dodging defenders and dad jokes. Hampton brings Mixon’s swagger with a Carolina twist; Henderson offers Kamara’s flair with Buckeye precision. Either way, Payton’s cooking up a masterpiece—one cutback, one block, one TD at a time.
So grab your popcorn, Broncos Country. Draft night’s gonna be a ride. And remember: In the NFL, the difference between “meh” and magic is just one pick and as Schultz would say “Both of those guys can do it.” Mic drop.
The post Sean Payton Told to Fix RB Woes With Joe Mixon-Like Star as Broncos Host 3,761-YD Back appeared first on EssentiallySports.
