While waiting for the post-season draft sheets, the editorial staff of DNA of Sports offers you, every Tuesday, a spotlight on the future nuggets who will join the NFL in 2023.
Mohammad Ibrahim
Born September 08, 1998 in Baltimore, Maryland
1m78 for 95 kilos
Runner, Minnesota, senior
1m78 for 95 kilos, for an average person we would speak of a worrying fat mass index. No fatphobia or muscle worship here, but Mohamed Ibrahim is a human being built like a tank: stocky and terribly powerful.
Its profile seems to come from another era because it is one-dimensional. But like the scriptures, the basics are there.
If I were a quality: yards after contact
Player with a compact size, Mohamed Ibrahim is a specialist in continuing to advance despite the presence of a defender: more than 1000 yards out of his 1665 won in 2022 were after contact! If a runner with explosive changes of support is often more exciting, the most important thing is to be able to continue the offensive series.
In 2022, he found himself 29 times taking the ball in a short 3rd attempt situation (from 1 to 3 yards): 22 times he gave his attack a 1st down! Three seasons at over 1,000 yards and an average of yards per carry never below 5 yards. To achieve his performance, he was well helped by his offensive linemen: Daniel Faalele (Ravens) and the formidable run-blocker John Michael Schmitz.
If I was a fault: old-fashioned
In recent years, to be coveted in the draft, runners must have shown reception qualities: this was the case in the NCAA for Najee Harris, Travis Etienne, Clyde Edwards-Helaire or Breece Hall. Mohamed Ibrahim played 40 games and only 22 receptions! Not a single touchdown after reception. One can imagine that if he had shown qualities in this area in training, he would have been used more in aerial games.
He is not the type to be able to explode and outflank a defense like Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara or Josh Jacobs. Powerful, he is a runner who gets into the crowd and knows how to pass in force. In this too, it is reminiscent of the running-backs of the 90s-2000s. But his ability to find the right breach, and to anticipate which angle to take after passing the first curtain, makes him terribly effective.
If I was an NFL player: David Montgomery (Bears)
Four seasons with Chicago and averaging 900 yards and 6.5 touchdowns per season. David Montgomery is not a star but he responds to injection do your job ! Mohamed Ibrahim offers the same type of profile, both physically and in terms of application.
If I Were a Draft Pick: 5th Round
The running-back position has devalued somewhat in recent years. Blame it on attacks that go more through the air, and blame it also on a seemingly inexhaustible source: 25, 16, 20 and 24 runners were selected between 2019 and 2022. Not to mention that some franchises also manage to strengthen themselves in this position with an undrafted player, Austin Ekeler (Chargers) in the lead or the latest Jaylen Warren (Steelers).
In the 2023 draft, the competition will be fierce due to many talented candidates. Sequence “write down their names somewhere because this guy could play for your franchise in 2023”: Bijan Robinson (Texas), Jahmyr Gibbs (Alabama), Chase Brown (Illinois), Zach Charbonnet (UCLA), Tyjae Spears (Tulane), Deuce Vaughn (Kansas State), Sean Tucker (Syracuse), Tank Bigsby (Auburn), Devon Achane (Texas A&M), Chris Rodriguez (Kentucky), Isaiah Davis (South Dakota State), Kenny McIntosh (Georgia), Eric Gray (Tennessee) , DeWayne McBride (UAB), Israel Abanikanda (Pitt), Tavion Thomas (Utah), Xazavian Valladay (Wyoming), Cameroon Peoples (App State), Zach Evans (Ole Miss) and Jaleel McLaughlin (Youngstown State).
Due to heavy competition and pass-catching limits, Mohamed Ibrahim is expected to be just a Saturday pick: 103-260. Plus, he’ll be 25 when the 2023 NFL season begins. ruptured Achilles tendon in 2021. But his 1,665 yards in 2022 and his 50 career touchdowns on the ground make him a quality player to integrate into a committee.
If I were an NFL team: New Orleans Saints
Because they don’t have a dominant quarterback, the Saints often go through the floor: 512 assists for 465 carries in 2022. Alvin Kamara is the number one option for the position but the Saints need to add a more powerful runner to the committee. Latavius Murray left during the season while Mark Ingram (33), David Johnson (31) and Dwayne Washington (28) are all out of contract.
For any prophet of the sport (quarterback), a good committee of runners must be among the apostles. And then, Mohamed Ibrahim among the Saints: like an air of the Gospel.
Back from the Achilles tear he suffered last year, Minnesota star RB Mohamed Ibrahim is the only player in the FBS with 130+ rushing yards and multiple touchdowns in each of a team’s first three games.https://t.co/IV5RlbRzxB
pic.twitter.com/jcWA0i0FZl— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) September 19, 2022
