Getty Raiders potential draftee Rasheen Ali
Given the way some of their recent drafts have gone, it might be time for the Raiders to pull together some luck here in 2024. The team made a surprise decision when it not only let star running back Josh Jacobs walk in free agency, but also opted not to replace him by signing an every-down addition.
Clearly, it’s Zamir White time in Las Vegas.
But the Raiders still need some depth at the running back spot, even after adding sixth-year veteran Alexander Mattison from the Vikings. Ameer Abdullah is back as well, but expect the Raiders to address the need for more backfield depth in the draft.
And if all goes right, they could yet wind up with a player one longtime scout is calling, potentially, the biggest Day 3 steal of this year’s draft—Marshall running back Rasheen Ali, a 6-foot, 200-pound jitterbug who might have rated higher if not for recent injuries.
Raiders Predicted to Add Rasheen Ali in Round 7
In the complete seven-round projection for the Raiders from CBS Sports this week, Ali is listed as the team’s seventh-rounder, which could prove to be a lucky break.
“With Josh Jacobs now in Green Bay, Zamir White is slated to take over as the Raiders starting running back. While the team may have their replacement for Jacobs in-house, they could stand to add some depth, especially with Alexander Mattison only on a one-year deal. Ali had some electric moments at Marshall and is also a capable pass catcher,” according to CBS’s Tyler Sullivan.
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 FBS that season) 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.
Scout: ‘A Day 3 STEAL for Some Team’
Ali has been highly touted in recent weeks by Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy, who has been an NFL scout for 18 years. Ali tore his biceps during the Senior Bowl, unfortunately, and did not participate in the Combine, but he left an impression from his time in Mobile, according to Nagy.
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…
In NFL.com’s scouting report, Lance Zierlein wrote that Ali is worth keeping an eye on: “Ali’s tape is a fun watch. He’s a loose-limbed runner with a blend of instincts and agility that create an admirable rate of consistency relative to the inconsistency of the blocking in front of him. He does a nice job of reading his blocks and shifting speeds to get where he needs to go, but his wiggle and run strength are just average by NFL standards. Ali doesn’t appear to have enough acceleration or speed to rush away from speedy defenders, but he is a natural one-cut back. “