Nov 19, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers running back Mohamed Ibrahim (24) warms up before the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
Following the conclusion of the 2023 NFL Draft, a number of prospects signed with teams as undrafted free agents. The Vikings, in particular, were very busy through this process, landing an additional 15 players.
However, they weren’t the only team making notable additions through this process, and one signing that likely pains Vikings fans to see is former Gophers star running back, Mohamed Ibrahim, signing with the Detroit Lions, as reported by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
Ibrahim committed to the University of Minnesota prior to 2018, and he has been a dominant runner in the Big Ten ever since he got to Minnesota. He’s rushed for over 4500 yards over his five seasons with the Gophers despite missing almost all of the 2021 season due to injury.
The biggest question mark surrounding Ibrahim was whether he’d be able to bounce back to his old self from his torn Achilles. He did that and more this season, recording a grand total of 320 carries, 1665 rushing yards, and 20 TDs. His rushing yards and rushing TDs total led the Big Ten this season while his 320 carries ranked second behind only Chase Brown out of Illiniois.
Ibrahim is much more of your prototypical back power running back than some of the others on the higher end of this class like a Jahmyr Gibbs, who Detroit selected with the 12th overall pick. He has a sturdy frame and the ability to bounce off tacklers to create yards after contact.
The biggest knock on the former Gophers star throughout his career has been his lack of presence as a receiver, and this ultimately may have been the reason he went undrafted along with some concerns about his durability after so many collegiate carries on top of his Achilles injury. Take a look at what NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein had to say of Ibrahim prior to the draft:
“Hard-hat running back who operated with toughness, vision and a feel for cut timing in the Minnesota inside/outside zone attack. Ibrahim’s decisiveness stands out, but he’s missing an elevated burst to clear second-level tacklers without taking bumps and bruises. He’s not going to run away from NFL defenders, so creativity will be important to keep runs alive. His injury history, paired with his combative running style, could be a concern for some teams, but his no-nonsense running approach and innate feel for the end zone will be easy for coaches to love.”
Ibrahim can be a baller when he’s healthy, and perhaps he can crack into a Lions running back room that added Gibbs while trading away D’Andre Swift this weekend. In all, Detroit now has David Montgomery, Gibbs, Craig Reynolds, Jermar Jefferson, Jason Cabinda, Greg Bell, and Ibrahim in their backfield.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.