Rasheen Ali Could Be More Than Ravens' RB3

Ali was profiled as a twitchy one-cut runner during his time at Marshall. His tape backs that up, with much of his work coming on north-south concepts such as inside zone, duo, and trap runs designed to take advantage of his burst. That skill set translates naturally to kick returns. When several coverage players are bearing down on you, there is little time for a Barry Sanders impersonation; finding the best-blocked lane and hitting it decisively is usually the better option.

But could that speed translate to Baltimore’s offense? Ali is unlikely to see many touches with Henry and Hill ahead of him, but an occasional carry, screen or designed touch could give the Ravens a change of pace.

The Ravens’ new offensive coordinator, Declan Doyle, worked in Chicago last season, where the offense was willing to use situational players such as Olamide Zaccheaus to throw defenses a curveball. It is not a one-for-one comparison, especially considering Zaccheaus is a wide receiver, but it does suggest Doyle is comfortable being part of an offense that gets creative. Ali may never command a serious workload, but his skill set could warrant the occasional offensive cameo rather than limiting his impact to kick returns.