Rasheen Ali 2024 NFL Draft Overview
Height: Five-foot-eleven
Weight: 206 pounds
Position: Running Back
School: Marshall
2024 NFL Draft: Rasheen Ali Scouting Report
A three-star recruit out of Shaker Heights in Cleveland, Ohio, Rasheen Ali took his talents to Marshall. In his true freshman season, Ali appeared in six games where he managed just 22 yards off of five carries. The best was yet to come.
In 2021, Ali became the Herd’s feature back. In 13 games, Ali ran the ball 250 times for a whopping 1,401 yards (10th in FBS) and a ridiculous 23 touchdowns (most in FBS). He added another 334 receiving yards and a score to finish with the eighth-most scrimmage yards in the nation and most touchdowns. He earned First-Team All-Conference USA and FWAA Freshman All-American honors.
Prior to the 2022 season, it was announced that Ali stepped away from football for reasons unbeknownst at the time. Later, it was discovered that he was injured and returned late in the season to play in two regular season games and the Myrtle Beach Bowl. In those three games, Ali amassed 273 yards and a touchdown off of 47 carries. He earned the MVP of the Myrtle Beach Bowl after his lone 100-yard game.
He got back to full-time duties in 2023. In 12 games, Ali rushed for 1,135 yards and 15 touchdowns off of 212 carries. As he did in 2021, Ali was a receiving threat out of the backfield and he added 213 yards and a score. Among Marshall running backs in history with at least 500 carries, Ali leads the way with 5.5 yards per carry. His 39 rushing touchdowns are most in program history and his 42 total scores are the second-most.
He was selected to the Senior Bowl but ended up suffering a torn biceps. He should be ready by the beginning of the 2024 season.
Strengths
- Incredibly productive
- Dominated early
- Sippery, can break tackles to extend plays
- Is a receiving weapon out of the backfield
- Also ran track, very athletic
- Incredible acceleration and can beat defenders to the edge
- Great vision, is just as much a threat to hit the hole right away as he is sticking back and allowing lanes to develop
- Hit 22 mph on in-game speed data
- Had a very strong Senior Bowl week
Weaknesses
- Will be coming off of a ruptured biceps injury, also missed most of 2022 with an injury
- 10 career fumbles, four in 2023
- Needs to develop pass-blocking abilities
- Often runs straight up, thus losing power
Player Comparison: Marlon Mack
Projection: Fifth or Sixth Round
Best Fits: Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Chargers, Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, Tennessee Titans
Bottom Line on Rasheen Ali
It’s not often a redshirt freshman running back from Conference USA leads the way in running back productivity but Ali did it. The former Marshall running back did everything and more for the program in his time and could have easily topped the leaderboards if he had not missed most of the 2022 season. He brings with him an impressive 5.5 yards per carry off of 514 attempts.
As a runner, Ali is adept at most aspects of the position. He is shifty enough to turn negative plays into explosive plays. While he may not look like a burner, he has legitimate in-game speed and has dusted defenders often with 20+mph runs. He is effective enough as a receiver out of the backfield and has the acceleration to take away a defender’s angle in an instant.
Naturally, he does have a few deficiencies. The biggest issue, other than his injury history, is ball security. Across his career, he put the ball on the turf 10 times and did so four times in 2023. He isn’t currently projected to be a three-down back because he struggles a bit with pass protection. It is a skill that could be developed as he has good instincts, he just needs to work on technique.
In a league that does not value the running back position, Ali could be a great day-three dart throw for a team that utilizes a running-back-by-committee approach. He has the upside to pique the interest of fantasy football gurus in deep-roster leagues, so keep an eye on this one.
Main Image: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
