Dolphins to bring in running back who led college football in touchdowns three years ago
The Dolphins could conceivably return with the same running back room that began last season: Raheem Mostert, DeVon Achane, Jeff Wilson, Salvon Ahmed and Chris Brooks. All are under contract, with Ahmed needing several more months to recover from last year’s foot injury.
But that stability hasn’t stopped Miami from exploring potential additions.
Dolphins officials are intrigued by the skill set of Marshall running back Rasheen Ali and are flying him to team headquarters to meet with Dolphins officials in the next 10 days, according to a league source.
Ali will count as one of the Dolphins’ maximum 30 permitted South Florida visits with prospects who have no previous ties to the tri-county area. (Players who attended high school or college in South Florida can audition for the Dolphins, which dozens did last Friday.)
Ali, who is 5-11 feet and 206 pounds, averaged 5.5 yards per carry and scored 39 touchdowns on 514 rushing attempts in 34 games over four years at Marshall. As a receiver, he caught 75 passes for 557 yards (7.4 average) and three touchdowns.
As a returner, he averaged 34.6 yards on five kickoff returns and brought back one for a touchdown.
In 2021, he led FBS in rushing touchdowns (23) and total touchdowns (25).
A Cleveland native, Ali ran for 1,401 yards on 5.6 per carry during that 2021 breakout sophomore season and ran for 1,135 yards on 5.4 per carry in 2023. He medically redshirted in 2022.
Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy raved about Ali on the social platform X last week:
“While there’s no verified 40 times on Rasheen Ali, teams we’ve spoken with have almost 22 mph in-game speed data, which is rollin’! His “explosive runs” cutup on @PFF Ultimate has tons of angle-busting long-distance runs. Could’ve picked 20 other clips... where [Ali] just dusts people. Ali’s instant acceleration & hard plant downhill cuts make him ideal fit for wide zone teams.”
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein said: “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. His touchdown production and third-down ability could improve his chances of finding work as an RB3.”
The Dolphins never announce their 30 visits, but five have been independently confirmed: Ali, Southern Cal safety Calen Bullock, Iowa tight end Erick All, Northern Iowa defensive tackle Khristian Boyd and cornerback Qwan’tez Stiggers.
The Dolphins would never have a player on a 30 visit if they weren’t interested in him. But they do often draft players who didn’t make a 30 visit.
