Ravens Rookie Draws Comparison To Pro Bowl RB

Could fifth-round pick Rasheen Ali be a hidden gem for the Baltimore Ravens?

Sep 4, 2021; Annapolis, Maryland, USA; Marshall Thundering Herd running back Rasheen Ali (22) reacts after scoring a first half touchdown against the Navy Midshipmen at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Ravens boasted the league's best rushing offense last season, and with former Offensive Player of the Year Derrick Henry now in the fold, that ground game should be even more deadly this year.

However, Henry wasn't the only addition to the Ravens' backfield. Enter Rasheen Ali, a fifth-round pick out of Marshall who could play a depth role in his rookie season.

That said, Ali may have a high ceiling to reach. CBS Sports analyst Emory Hunt even compared the rookie to Miami Dolphins Pro Bowl running back Raheem Mostert, a former Raven himself.

"He reminds me so much of Raheem Mostert in how if the lane is there and he hits it, it's a wrap, he's gone," Hunt said on the "Ross Tucker" podcast. "It fits what they want in the backfield coming off zone-read action, or that play action, or that run action where you have to worry about the backside door with Lamar Jackson, and Ali's going to see advantageous boxes, and he has the explosiveness to really hit it. So that was a really good selection for them."

Considering the season Mostert just had in South Florida, that's a very good comparison for Ali. The veteran running back rushed for 1,012 yards and an absurd 18 touchdowns while averaging 4.8 yards per carry. He also added another 175 yards and three touchdowns as a receiver.

When watching Mostert, the one thing that stands out right away is his blistering speed and ability to break away. If Ali, who rushed for 2,809 yards and 39 touchdowns over his last three seasons at Marshall, can show similar speed, then perhaps he could become a notable piece of the Ravens' ground game as well.

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