One running back who saw a bit of bad luck during the draft process is Marshall RB Rasheen Ali, who tore his biceps during a Senior Bowl practice.
Despite the injury destroying any potential buzz Ali could create at the NFL Combine, does the rest of his body of work give the Marshall RB a scouting report worthy of a Day 2 selection in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft?
Rasheen Ali’s Draft Profile and Measurements
- Height: 5’11″
- Weight: 206
- Position: RB
- School: Marshall
- Current year: Redshirt Junior
- Hand: 8 5/8″
- Arm: 31 1/4″
The Shaker Heights High School product out of Cleveland, Ohio, enjoyed an exceptional prep career as a two-sport athlete and subsequently committed to playing for the Thundering Herd entering the collegiate ranks.
His freshman year in 2020 was mostly irrelevant with him relegated to special teams duties, but his 2021 season was exceptional. His 1,401 rushing yards with an additional 334 receiving yards (on 45 receptions) and 24 total TDs put him on the map as a potential future NFL running back prospect.
Marshall running back Rasheen Ali missed most of 2022. When he came back, he came back with a bang, averaging 5.8 yards per carry and taking 21.27% of his carries over 10 yards 🔥
Is the @HerdFB rusher the top Group of Five RB in the nation? #GoHerd🦬pic.twitter.com/Sb3YM6pT6h
— College Football Network (@CFN365) June 9, 2023
Unfortunately, he missed 10 games in 2022 but finished strong with 1,348 yards from scrimmage with 16 total TDs to finish his college career in 2023.
Ali’s Scouting Report
Strengths
- Exceptional burst when he is decisive about attacking a specific lane or trying to take the edge; flashed ability to accelerate back to top speed urgently after a subtle jump cut for inside-zone concepts to shoot through small lanes.
- Plus-level short-area quickness and agility; great jump cut in tight quarters allows for split-second gap destination changes when openings present themselves.
- Nice feel, timing, vision, and instincts in zone rushing concepts; presses the line of scrimmage while reading leverage of defenders with poised patience.
- Regularly terrorized over-aggressive defenders who over-pursued on play-side zone calls with violent cutbacks.
- Changes his tempo very effectively when stretching the defense horizontally and accelerates to hit the hole at top speed.
- Capable and reliable option out of the backfield in the passing game.
- Despite not running a 40-yard dash during the pre-draft process, Ali was a member of the Marshall track team where he ran a 6.98-second 60-meter dash (65 yards), which suggests his home run speed is there.
- Loose hips allow for stringing together of multiple lateral moves in tight quarters.
Weaknesses
- Ball security has big room for improvement; averaged a fumble every 49 touches during his collegiate career.
- Despite having a strong, muscular build, he doesn’t always maximize his play strength consistently by playing a bit too high against oncoming defenders at the point of attack.
- Top speed looked a tick slower in 2023 in comparison to 2021; got brought down by trailing defenders on multiple occasions, which cost him multiple explosive runs during his final year in college.
- Forced fewer missed tackles and explosive runs last season than in comparison to his breakout 2021 campaign.
- Still a work in progress as a pass protector.
Current Draft Projection and Summary
Ali’s athletic profile could have been that of a steady riser throughout the draft process with a strong Combine performance for a position group devoid of a consensus top overall prospect. Yet, an ill-timed case of the injury bug has made the former Marshall running back more of an intriguing Day 3 selection with three-down potential.
Ali projects as a quality fit in zone-heavy schemes with his slashing style. His acceleration, vision, and flashes of home run speed could contribute to an NFL backfield in a complementary role early in his career. His natural hands as a pass catcher mean he is capable of contributing on a serviceable level to an NFL passing game.
On the flip side, his lack of refinement as a route runner, inconsistencies in pass protection, and significant ball security issues muddy the water a bit projecting him into a bell-cow role in the league.
Ultimately, Ali flashed some impressive reps on tape with an athletic profile that suggests he can be a difference-maker for an NFL team if he lands in the right situation. It is hard to imagine a scenario where a team doesn’t invest Day 3 draft capital on the Marshall product when the 2024 NFL Draft rolls around.
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