Marshall’s 2023 NFL Draft prospects led by Rasheen Ali, Abraham Beauplan

The Marshall Thundering Herd has sent a player to the league via the NFL draft in each of the last three seasons. Can they continue that streak this cycle? Marshall has a talented roster with several potential 2023 NFL Draft prospects to be aware of when you’re watching the Herd this fall. Let’s take a look at which offensive playmakers and dominant defenders could hear their names called next April.

Marshall prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft

Marshall had become a consistent bowl contender under Doc Holliday, and that streak continued under the first-year stewardship of Charles Huff last fall. While Thundering Herd fans hope to see a successful team extend that streak in their first season in the Sun Belt, there’s also a streak to continue in the 2023 NFL Draft. These are the players that could earn a selection next April with a strong college football season.

Rasheen Ali, RB

At the time of writing, it is unknown at what point star running back Rasheen Ali will rejoin his Marshall teammates. The team released a statement earlier this month stating that Ali would be away from the team for an indefinite period and that his return would only be “as soon as he is mentally, physically, and emotionally ready to return.” It’s a timely reminder that student-athletes are more than football players and draft prospects.

Ali’s departure doesn’t take away from the fact that he’s comfortably the program’s leading 2023 NFL Draft prospect. The 6’0″, 200-pound running back has game-changing long speed, explosion, and change-of-direction ability. He’s also comfortable and dangerously effective as a receiver out of the backfield. Ali offers special-teams excellence as a kick returner, making him a playmaker who can impact the game in multiple facets.

Abraham Beauplan, LB

Linebacker Abraham Beauplan is the top returning tackler for Marshall this fall, having tallied 110 tackles last season. A 6’2″, 225-pound linebacker who thrives at getting into the backfield, Beauplan registered 11 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and a forced fumble in 2021. Stats aren’t everything, but the player behind the production is enticing.

A stellar athlete who showcases excellent play speed, he has a reported sub-4.6 40-yard dash. With the movement skills of a defensive back combined with the ferocity and nose for the ball of a linebacker, Beauplan should attract 2023 NFL Draft attention. He’s one of just three Marshall players listed on the Shrine Bowl 1000.

Koby Cumberlander, EDGE

A consistent producer in his four playing seasons with Marshall, Koby Cumberlander looks set to assert himself as one of the top pass rushers in the Sun Belt this fall. The 6’3″, 235-pound EDGE tallied 8.5 tackles for loss and a career-high 4.5 sacks last season. He boasts some impressive movement skills, excellent burst, power at the point of attack, and wins mainly with high-level block-shedding ability through non-stop hand work that highlights a technically developed 2023 NFL Draft prospect.

Steven Gilmore, CB

After attracting attention in the previous cycle, Steven Gilmore returns to Marshall as one of their top 2023 NFL Draft prospects. The brother of former NFL Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore, Steven is a long cornerback who excels at making plays at the catch point.

However, the 6’0″, 170-pound defensive playmaker also boasts impressive play speed and football instincts that allow him to close on the ball to make a play with physicality. Gilmore led the team in interceptions last fall and should do so again as he looks to elevate his draft stock.

Micah Abraham, DB

Don’t want to throw on Gilmore? Well, that’s too bad because on the other side of the Marshall secondary is 6’2″, 180-pound cornerback Micah Abraham. While Gilmore led the Herd in picks last fall, his teammate led the team with 14 pass breakups. Abraham has a size and length advantage over most receivers while possessing the speed and fluidity to be sticky in man coverage and the ball-tracking ability to make a play. Abraham can be impactful as a blitzer and has special-teams experience on punt coverage.

Shadeed Ahmed, WR

Despite Ali’s ground dominance last fall, Marshall still averaged nearly 38 passing attempts per game. With his absence, that could be even higher this fall, giving receivers like Shadeed Ahmed the opportunity to elevate their 2023 NFL Draft stock. The redshirt junior wide receiver had his moments last year on his way to 463 yards and three touchdowns. Ahmed is a 6’0″, 174-pound pass catcher who wins with explosion at the line of scrimmage, sure hands at the catch point, and boasts impressive toughness for his size.

Corey Gammage, WR

While Ahmed shows potential, teammate Corey Gammage is the top returning WR for the Thundering Herd. Last season, he snagged over 800 receiving yards with two touchdowns. An absolute size mismatch at 6’4″ and 220 pounds, Gammage easily towers over defensive backs and has the length to pluck the ball out of the sky effortlessly. Meanwhile, he’s a deceptive athlete for his size, with enough straight-line speed to cause a problem and the lateral agility and quick footwork to ruin many a defensive back’s ankles.

Anthony Watts, DT

Marshall shored up the interior of the defensive line with multiple Power Five transfers. Of those, former Purdue defensive tackle offers some intrigue as a 2023 NFL Draft prospect. During his time with the Boilermakers, Watts tallied 84 tackles with 10.5 for loss and three sacks. The 6’4″, 300-pound DT showcases some penetrative explosion off the snap, can disengage from blocks with a combination of force and finesse, and wraps up well as a tackler. Watts will be 25 at the start of the 2023 NFL season, which may damage his stock.

Owen Porter, DL

Marshall defensive end Owen Porter had a coming-out party against Louisiana, tallying four tackles for loss and a half-sack in a dominant performance. If he can continue that momentum this season, he might garner some looks in the 2023 NFL Draft. Porter is a 6’3″, 240-pound EDGE that also played running back at the high school level. That experience is apparent in his athletic profile, with excellent play speed and eye-catching vertical athleticism for his size. Porter also boasts power and a relentless motor.

Kendrick Sartor, OT

After losing several pieces of last season’s starting offensive line, Marshall is going to have to lean heavily on returner Kendrick Sartor. The former walk-on will once again man the right tackle spot, although he has taken reps at left tackle during the offseason. That could add an element of versatility to his game as a 2023 NFL Draft prospect. The 6’7″, 316-pound OT boasts great size and length at the position while having a reliable anchor in pass protection and an ability to use power and angles to open lanes in the ground game.

Other Marshall prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft

• Henry Colombi, QB
• Talik Keaton, WR
• TyQaze Leggs, DT
• Jayden Harrison, WR
• Sam Burton, DL
• Joshua Bowers, CB
• E.J. Jackson, S
• Charlie Gray, LB
• Eli Neal, LB
• Isaiah Gibson Sr., DT