2023 NFL Draft Profile: RB Mohamed Ibrahim

The Giants will probably look to add another running back in the draft, regardless of what happens with Saquon Barkley. Let's look at how Minnesota's Mohamed Ibrahim might fit into the offense.

Author:
Nick Falato
Publish date:
Feb 9, 2023 12:16 PM EST

In this story:

New York Giants

Mohamed Ibrahim, RB

Height: 5-foot-7
Weight: 203 lbs.
Class: RS-Senior
School: Minnesota
Arm length: 28 ¼”
Wingspan: 70 ⅛”
Hand size: 8 ⅞”

A former three-star recruit out of Good Counsel High School in Olney, Maryland, where he was the 62nd-ranked running back and the 19th recruit out of Maryland in the 2017 recruiting cycle. Ibrahim attended the same high school as Kendall Fuller and Stefon Diggs.

Notables

Ibrahim was an efficient, productive running back in the Big-10, amassing 4,668 rushing yards and 53 total touchdowns on the ground throughout his collegiate career. He averaged 5.4 yards per carry and added 22 catches for 145 yards while a member of the Golden Gophers. Ibrahim suffered a devastating Achilles injury in Week 1 of 2021, but he had a resounding return in 2022.

Ibrahim rushed for 1,665 yards on 320 attempts (5.2 YPC) with 20 touchdowns on the ground in 2022. He earned All-Big-10 first-team honors and was Academic All-Big-10. His 2020 campaign was very impressive as well; he rushed for 1,076 yards on 201 carries (5.4 YPC) with 15 touchdowns on the ground.

Twice he lead the Big-10 in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. He set school records in rushing attempts, rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns (same number as rushing), total points, 100-yard rushing games, and rushing yardage per game. He was very accomplished in college and will look to translate that into a professional career. He accepted an invitation to the East-West Shrine Game in Las Vegas.

Strengths

Sturdy, short, low-to-the-ground thick muscular build
Good change of direction to avoid defenders in tight spaces
Slippery enough in a phone booth - understands how to angle his body to run through arm-tackles
Crafty runner
An instinctive, one-cut, runner with excellent vision
Great anticipation of movement while approaching LOS
Spatially aware at the LOS - very good processing & footwork
Does a good job pressing the LOS and forcing LBs to commit
Identifies and attacks holes as they open
Good overall contact balance
Uses leverage to his advantage upon contact
Plays with solid overall play strength
Fights for yardage with good competitive toughness

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Weaknesses

Devastating ruptured Achilles to left leg suffered during Week 1 of 2021

Responded with a steller 2022

Not a difference-making athlete at the position
Lacks breakaway speed, explosiveness, and acceleration
Little to no second gear
Virtually no receiving profile
Route runner left some to be desired
Identification as a pass blocker - when provided the opportunity - was adequate and could improve.
Will be 25 years old during his rookie season

Mohamed Ibrahim is a good example of three yards and a cloud of dust. He may not be the most athletically gifted running back in terms of long-speed and breakaway ability. Still, he’s crafty and maximizes his lateral quickness and change of direction to make defenders miss in a phone booth. His low profile allows him to utilize leverage to fall through contact - he’s not the easiest guy to bring down to the ground.

He’s a good running back who understands the nuances of setting blocks up while locating the cut-back lane. He may best fit into a one-cut zone blocking scheme, but he could operate in any system.

However, his drawbacks are difficult to ignore. He’s an older prospect with a rupture Achilles on his resume. His passing profile is almost nonexistent, and he’s not an overly explosive player. Ibrahim is a tough-nosed physical back that must carve a path via special teams. He hasn’t returned a kick since 2020, and he won’t be the most explosive option.

GRADE: 5.7