Running Back – Minnesota

5’10, 210 lbs

Strengths

With five collegiate seasons under his belt, Mohamed Ibrahim is ready to take his talents to the next level. Now, he is preparing himself for the NFL Combine and the 2023 NFL Draft. In 40 career games with the Golden Gophers, he accumulated 867 carries, 4,668 rushing yards, and 53 scores. Furthermore, in his final year, he totaled the 3rd most rushing yards in the Nation (1665) and scored 20 times. All in all, this earned him All-Big 10 First Team honors in the eyes of coaches and the media.

Power

The first thing that pops out and his biggest strength is his power. Would-be tacklers often found that taking Ibrahim head-on was not in their best interests. The majority of highlights you can find show him trucking defenders and pushing the pile for extra yards. Additionally, the way he uses his low center of gravity to great effect means his momentum will take him that extra yard more often than not. By the end of the game, Ibrahim is still racking up yardage against a battered defense that’s ready to wave the white flag. Think of Jerome Bettis running over defenders in the 90s and you can see the similarities.

Patience

An excellent attribute for any running back is patience and the ability to let plays develop in front of them. Furthermore, Ibrahim would take the handoff and thoughtfully wait for the hole to open before striking through it. You won’t see him twinkle around in the backfield as he prefers to wait and make the most of each play.

Weaknesses

Speed

The first thing you’ll notice about this bulky runner is that he’s not exactly a speed demon. His 40 time will likely fall somewhere between 4.5 and 4.6 at the Combine, which is not super impressive speed for an NFL running back. Lacking top-end speed will limit his ability to break off huge plays on a regular basis. Additionally, his performance at the Combine in this regard might drop his value a bit. 

Passing Game

Nowadays, NFL teams tend to want a player who can snag short passes out of the backfield for a solid burst of yards on 2nd or 3rd down. Ibrahim caught only 22 passes in his 40 games with Minnesota. Being one of the better pass-blocking running backs in this draft class also predicts that he will be less likely to run routes regularly.

Injury History

For good reason, many NFL and fantasy football minds are weary of any skill position player that has suffered the dreaded Achilles tear. In 2021, after running for 163 yards on 30 carries in the first game, Ibrahim suffered this much-maligned injury. Obviously, he missed the remainder of the season.

Very few players have come back to form after this misfortune. However, in recent years, players like D’Onta Foreman and Cam Akers have shown signs of beating the once-debilitating circumstance. His 1,668 rushing yards in 2022 following this injury was definitely a positive sign, but it’s still worth noting. 

NFL Fit and Draft Capital

The biggest issue for Ibrahim to overcome is the Achilles tear. The stigma alone will significantly bring down his draft stock. On the bright side, he’s got the ability and drive to become a steady short-yardage and goalline back. This was showcased by his 20 rushing touchdowns in 2022. Any NFL team with their eyes and a sturdy, North/South ball carrier will be taking note. He probably ends up as a Day 3 NFL Draft selection, but he’s got the potential of an early Day 2 pick.

As for your dynasty fantasy football leagues, I believe he’s worth a third round pick in your rookie drafts. He probably needs a season to fully ingest life at the Pro level, but the right landing spot could see him pay dividends sooner. In redraft, I’d only consider him for 2023 if he was scooped up by a run-heavy offense like Atlanta, Philadelphia, or Kansas City. He could be the Isiah Pacheco of 2023 in the right situation.

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