Mohamed Ibrahim

Ibrahim handled the bulk of Minnesota’s ground-heavy attack in 2020, notching more than 200 carries for the second time in three seasons despite playing just seven games. He boasts superb vision and power but doesn’t quite have the top-end speed to be a consistent home-run threat and hasn’t proven his abilities as a pass-catcher yet. Even without an elite top gear, Ibrahim averaged 5.4 yards per carry and came up big in the red zone, compiling 15 rushing scores. He should serve as the Gophers’ workhorse again in 2021, with Treyson Potts slotted in as his primary backup.

Ibrahim should be labeled as one of the prime candidates to have a breakout season in 2020. After managing 5.7 yards per carry in an offense that struggled to throw the ball back in 2018, Ibrahim backed it up with 5.3 yards per tote last year, rushing 114 times for 604 yards and seven scores. He remains unproven as a pass-catcher, reeling in a combined seven passes between the last two campaigns, but his carry count could double or more from a season ago with Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks out of the picture. Look for Bryce Williams to work as his primary backup, but Williams managed just 4.3 yards per tote in 2018 and a measly 1.4 on 17 rushes last season, while Ibrahim ended 2019 on a high note with 20 carries for 140 yards and a touchdown in the Outback Bowl win over Auburn.