Omarion Hampton 24th, Willie Lampkin 98th in ESPN Top 100 player ranks

We knew the North Carolina Tar Heels would experience growing pains during the 2024 college football season, as they had to replace several talented starters from a year ago, most notably Drake Maye and Tez Walker.

UNC endured a 6-7 season, which ended with three straight losses and a disappointing showing in the Fenway Bowl. North Carolina switched between Max Johnson, Conner Harrell and Jacolby Criswell at quarterback, while dealing with constant injuries along its offensive line.

There were two Tar Heels, however, who shined through in an overall supbar year: star running back Omarion Hampton and guard Willie Lampkin.

In ESPN’s ranking of the Top 100 players from the 2024-2025 college football season, Hampton landed at 21st and Lampkin was 98th.

Check out what ESPN had to say about Hampton, who declared for the NFL Draft in December:

“In any year that didn’t include Ashton Jeanty, Hampton’s production would’ve been considered a triumph. Despite North Carolina’s offense being in tatters for much of the season — including starting three different QBs — he was a star from the outset. After rushing for 1,500 yards in 2023, Hampton somehow improved on that tally without Drake Maye in the backfield with him in 2024. He finished the season with 1,660 rushing yards, the third most nationally, and was one of just three players in the country to finish with more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage.”

Here’s what ESPN said about Lampkin’s final year in Chapel Hill:

“The winner of the ACC’s top blocking award, Lampkin hardly looks the part of a star in the trenches, but he plays like a giant. Lampkin — 5-11, 290 pounds — arrived at UNC as a transfer from Coastal Carolina, and former head coach Mack Brown even admitted he doubted Lampkin could hold up against the bigger, stronger competition in the ACC. Not only did Lampkin hold his own, he thrived. Over 816 snaps at right guard, Lampkin allowed just three pressures and had just four blown run…