Four years later, though, Paton can essentially draft Williams all over again.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know what\u2019s really interesting to me?\u201d NFL draft analyst Charles Davis said in a conversation with The Denver Post. \u201c\u2026 Omarion Hampton might be Javonte Williams pre-knee injury.\u201d<\/p>\n
Indeed, the profiles are eerily similar.\u00a0Hampton, the Broncos\u2019 most popular mock-draft fit at pick No. 20<\/a> for a solid two months, is listed at 220 pounds; Williams is listed at 220 pounds. Hampton ran for 15 touchdowns his final year at North Carolina; Williams ran for 19. Hampton profiles as one of only a select few bona-fide three-down backs in this draft; Williams is solid in pass-pro and as a pass-catcher.<\/p>\n As the Broncos continue to be linked to a back at that first-round slot, though, Ohio State\u2019s TreVeyon Henderson has risen in stock as a widely popular and widely different option in recent weeks, punctuated by a top-30 visit to Denver on Wednesday<\/a>. While Hampton is a more easily projectable workhorse, Henderson is more of a tempo-changer who can bounce outside and thrive on passing downs. One NFL RBs coach, asked which he had graded higher, told The Post in a text Henderson and Hampton had \u201ctwo different running styles\u201d and were \u201cnot comparable.\u201d<\/p>\n That\u2019s no fun. Let\u2019s compare them anyway!<\/p>\n At sheer face value, a majority of evaluators have Hampton as the second-best back in the draft. ESPN analyst Matt Miller told The Post he had a 90 grade on Hampton and an 86 on Henderson, mainly because he felt Hampton was better suited as an \u201cevery-down back.\u201d Davis largely agreed. NFL Network\u2019s Bucky Brooks said there was a \u201cseparation\u201d between the two, and that there\u2019s a \u201cdivide\u201d in this RB class after a first tier of Boise State\u2019s Ashton Jeanty and Hampton. In simple terms, then, Hampton is widely viewed as the better prospect.<\/p>\n For the Broncos\u2019 system and interests, though, Henderson might well be the better fit.<\/p>\n \u201cI think if you were gonna say, like, \u2018We\u2019re gonna be an outside-the-box running team, and we\u2019re gonna get our running back 50 catches\u2019 \u2026 then Henderson would be the player I would prefer,\u201d Miller said.<\/p>\n If the Broncos are looking for more of a \u2014 hard swallow \u2014 Joker-style back, even after the signing of Evan Engram, Henderson carries dynamic receiving upside in space. And his blocking is one of his strongest selling points. Miller gushed over Henderson\u2019s abilities in pass-protection as a fearless back who \u201cpops guys without problem.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, we\u2019re looking at the runner, the pass receiving skills,\u201d Paton said Thursday, discussing the projectability of college backs as blockers. \u201cIs he a three-down back, change of pace like Sean talked about? Does he have the traits to develop as a pass protector? That\u2019s what we dig into, our coaches dig into.\u201d<\/p>\n There\u2019s another key variable here: The Broncos may not actually be targeting a legit every-down back. Payton, both historically and expressively, prefers a committee in his backfield, and expressed faith in a returning group of Audric Estime, Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie at his presser at the NFL combine.<\/p>\n![\"North](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/AP24288575888818.jpg\")
North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton (28) runs the ball during the first half an NCAA college football game against Georgia Tech, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in Chapel Hill, N.C. (AP Photo\/Chris Seward)<\/p>\n
![\"Ohio](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/AP24278036610438.jpg\")
Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson runs during an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo\/Al Goldis)<\/p>\n