With Tony Pollard gone to Tennessee, the Dallas Cowboys need a running back, and most every mock draft under the sun has the team addressing the shortfall early in this month’s NFL draft—generally in the second round, where the likes of top backs Jonathon Brooks or Trey Benson can be had.
But there will be players available beyond the Top 2 or 3 backs in the pile, and it is worth remembering that Pollard himself was a fourth-round pick in 2019. According to a seven-round Cowboys mock draft from the site 24/7 Sports, the Cowboys will not only land Benson in the third round, but will get another running back, Rasheen Ali of Marshall, in the seventh round.
Here’s what 24/7 wrote about Ali, who did visit the Cowboys and might not be available for Dallas in the seventh round: “A rising name in this year’s draft process is Rasheen Ali, who Senior Bowl Executive Director Jim Nagy recently labeled a future Day 3 steal for whoever picks him. That team is the Cowboys in this mock, who are showing pre-draft interest in him.”
Cowboys in Line for Day 3 ‘STEAL’
Nagy, who has been an NFL scout for 18 years as well as running the Senior Bowl for the last six seasons, has indeed sounded off on Ali as a prospect before. Ali tore his biceps during the Senior Bowl, unfortunately, and did not participate in the Combine, but he left an impression. Obviously, the Cowboys have an interest.
Nagy wrote on Twitter/X last week: “One player who’ll be a Day 3 𝙎𝙏𝙀𝘼𝙇 for some team is Marshall RB Rasheen Ali. Seeing literally nothing on here about Ali but he was cooking Top-100 prospects (below) with his dynamic COD skills at @seniorbowl before a suffering an arm injury. @fsosheen1 has about as much juice on tape as any RB in 2024 draft.”
One player who’ll be a Day 3 𝙎𝙏𝙀𝘼𝙇 for some team is Marshall RB Rasheen Ali.
Seeing literally nothing on here about Ali but he was cooking Top-100 prospects (👀 below) with his dynamic COD skills at @seniorbowl before a suffering an arm injury.
@fsosheen1 has about as much…
He continued to gush about Ali’s speed and cutting ability, and finished by posting: “Last thing on Rasheen Ali. During @seniorbowl week I always ask scouts & coaching friends who’s impressing in interviews and this year Ali’s name consistently came up. Don’t know full story but teams loved hearing about how Ali’s dad raised him as competitive boxer & instilled toughness in him from young age.”
Rasheen Ali Led College Football in Rushing in 2021
Ali is one of the more interesting players in the upcoming draft. He had a wildly successful sophomore year at Marshall, when he rushed for 1,401 yards (most in all of FBS) and 23 touchdowns, in 2021. But he suffered a mysterious injury in 2022 and only came back to play the final three games of the year.
He had a knee injury, it was later revealed, but the coach Charles Huff also said at the time that he was going to stay away from the team, until he was, “mentally, physically and emotionally ready to return.” Ali was healthy for 12 games in 2023, and ran for 1,135 yards and 15 touchdowns. In all, he played 34 games for the Herd and amassed 2,831 yards and 39 rushing touchdowns.
Because of his elusiveness and his ability to make the Marshall offensive line look good, Huff once compared Ali to Lions great Barry Sanders. That certainly would get the Cowboys’ attention.
“I don’t know if Barry Sanders was a good back or if the Detroit Lions didn’t have a good O-line,” Huff said, per the Huntington Herald-Dispatch. “You could make the argument either way, but Barry made stuff right. He made those guys look better. Ali made some stuff right for us last year, so obviously we looked better. Defenses planned differently. An 8-yard play somebody might get was a 20-yard play.”
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Cowboys Predicted to Add ‘Dynamic’ FBS-Leading Playmaker