The Baltimore Ravens boast a strong rushing attack. Since their inception as a franchise, the ground game has been the cornerstone, along with strong defense. Behind starter Derrick Henry and quarterback Lamar Jackson, who uses his rushing ability to break big plays. Now, 2025 draft pick Rasheen Ali will need to enjoy a stellar camp to keep a roster spot. Ebony Bird writer Connor Rogers detailed Ali’s road ahead.
“Rasheen Ali might be facing the most pressure of any Raven who made the roster last year. Sure, Keaton Mitchell departed in free agency, but the team drafted Adam Randall in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. That’ll impact Ali directly.”
Randall, a fifth-round draft pick out of Clemson, will ultimately serve as the one roadblock to Ali holding his spot for a couple of reasons. First, he catches passes, just as well or maybe better than Ali, with 84 catches and five touchdowns during his days as a Tiger. More than that, he does what Ali can do but as a much larger player. At six-foot-three and 238 pounds, he carves the figure of what the Ravens prefer from their running backs.
GettyKANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – SEPTEMBER 28: Rasheen Ali #26 of the Baltimore Ravens carries the ball against the Kansas City Chiefs in the game at Arrowhead Stadium on September 28, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Amy Kontras/Getty Images)
Hill’s Return Shrinks RB Room
Veteran third-down back Justice Hill returns from an injury that limited him to just ten games last season. With his return, Ali’s path to a roster spot potentially suffers. Over six seasons, 116 catches, and a 77.9% catch percentage factor in.
More importantly, Hill earned the trust of the Ravens franchise player. As a result, he gets the advantage based solely on that fact and production. Plus, Hill’s other attributes elevated him into the prime backup spot. For example, his pass protection creates opportunities for the Ravens.
Justice Hill on screens since 2024:
21 catches
174 yards
2 TDsSuch a weapon out of the backfield.
— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) September 28, 2025
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Safe Money Doesn’t Make Money
In essence, Ali is a functional returner, as attested by his 25.6 yards per return. He doesn’t break massive returns. 43 yards is his career high. General manager Eric DeCosta preached the need for electric talents. Considering Randall’s size/speed ratio, the Ravens will rely on him to break long gains, flipping the field in the offense’s favor.
When Justice Hill was forced to miss the rest of the season after sustaining a neck injury in practice, the Ravens really missed his presence!
It’s often the case that you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone, and Rasheen Ali wasn’t able to bridge the gap left by Hill! pic.twitter.com/ZnTKM72CSl
— Nic Mason (@British_Raven19) February 16, 2026
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The Summer Battle
Everything for the Ravens’ third running back will rest in the summer. John Harbaugh is gone. He influenced Ali’s drafting. Now, that familiarity resides in New Jersey. New head coach Jesse Minter wants to place his own mark on the team while refurbishing the roster in his image. One surefire, under-the-radar way for the team to tinker with the roster without upsetting the veteran core is to replace the third back.
At the same time, Randall, as a rookie with zero NFL experience or snaps, needs to win the job more than Ali needs to lose it. In other words, he will need to perform well during camp. Whether he breaks a long run, blocks the blitzing linebacker, or makes solid catches, his mere presence pressures Ali.
The Ravens lost the division to their hated rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers. The loss expedited Harbaugh’s firing. From all the moves made in the offseason, it appears Baltimore is not really content with the fringe parts of the roster. Can Ali stay a Raven?
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