5 offensive prospects for Vikings to watch at the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl

Mohamed Ibrahim – RB (Minnesota)

Runningback could end up being a need for the Vikings if they move on from Dalvin Cook this offseason and Alexander Mattison looks for a starting role elsewhere.

They do have a couple of options in Kene Nwangwu and Ty Chandler, but they could look for more of a bruiser in the draft. If they go that route, why not look in their own backyard at Mo Ibrahim?

Ibrahim was one of the best backs in college football, racking up yards like it was going out of style. He tallied 4,668 yards and 53 touchdowns in his tenure with the Gophers, proving to be a physical runner who can bounce off of tackles and gain tough yards.

The biggest knock on him is usage and durability. He suffered a torn Achilles tendon in his left leg in 2021. He also has a ton of wear on the tires, having toted the ball 867 times for the Gophers. While that is concerning, it might not matter for the Vikings.

Kevin O’Connell doesn’t love to pound the ball. Even if the run game is working, he loves putting it in the air. Dalvin Cook only carried the ball 20 times or more five times last season. So Ibrahim wouldn’t get the workload he saw in college, plus Nwagnwu and Chandler would also get touches.

Ibrahim is a talented back who could fall in the draft due to injuries and overuse. The Vikings should watch him closely this week to see how he looks, and if they add him late in the draft, he would give them a bruiser to pair with their speed guys.