Raiders NFL Draft viewer’s guide: Myrtle Beach Bowl, Marshall vs UConn

Some NFL lineage to watch this afternoon

This year’s Myrtle Beach Bowl is a rare Monday Afternoon matchup that pits the Marshall Thundering Herd versus the up-and-coming UConn Huskies. Beyond a handful of NFL Draft prospects, there are a few NFL ties on both sidelines as Stephon Gilmore’s brother, Steven, plays for Marshall and former NFL Head coach Jim Mora leads UConn.

Below is a look at the top 400 prospects via NFLMockDraftDatabase.com’s consensus big board for each squad.

Marshall

Steven Gilmore, CB (No. 3)

Career stats (five seasons): 198 total tackles (122 solo), 7.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 9 INTs, 31 PD

NMDD draft projection as of 12/18: UDFA

Scouting report via TheDraftNetwork.com (full report)

The younger brother of NFL star Stephon Gilmore, it won’t take you long to find the guy on the field with elite NFL play in his family. Steven Gilmore is smart and showcases very good fundamentals for the cornerback position. His patience in off coverage is one area where he shines. He doesn’t waste a lot of movement or steps and he’s quick to drive and attack to undercut throws and attack the catch point. The Herd has charged him with playing both inside and outside throughout the course of his playing career and that willingness to travel will serve him well. I’m not sure he profiles as a perimeter corner in the NFL but has the quickness and agility to shine in the nickel. Gilmore, despite only modest turnovers forced, has good ball skills and adjusts well to the football in flight. Adding even further value to his profile is some high-level play on special teams units. Gilmore has been tasked with covering kicks and made a number of strong open-field tackles.

Rasheen Ali, RB (No. 22)

Career stats (three seasons): 287 carries, 1,604 yards, 23 TDs, 47 receptions, 344 yards, 2 TDs

NMDD draft projection as of 12/18: UDFA

Scouting report via The NFL Draft Bible (full report)

The biggest concerns about Ali surround his work in pass protection and ball security. Six fumbles in one year (2021) won’t cut it at the next level. Ali is also guilty of being too patient at times and taking tackles for significant losses when he needs to just cut upfield and take as many yards as he can get. On the positive side, Ali displays lateral bounce to survey multiple gaps and tremendous footwork that leads to some really clean cuts. He’s patient with his blockers and has the burst to shoot through rushing lanes once they open. Despite his average frame, Ali isn’t shy about finishing through contact and making sure he falls forward. The redshirt sophomore doesn’t have elite burst or speed, but they’re both above average and give defenses trouble. Ali is a dynamic offensive weapon who displays excellent polish, patience, and footwork. He’ll need to diversify his route tree to secure a role on third downs at the next level. Ali’s frame could become a hindrance for his draft stock unless he adds some more muscle. However, he offers an exciting upside as a pure runner with only one year of starting experience. Ali ranked among the top 15 running backs in the FBS last season in forced missed tackles and rushing yards after contact.

Khalan Laborn, RB (No. 8)

Career stats (one season at Marshall, FSU transfer): 281 carries, 1,423 yards, 16 TDs

NMDD draft projection as of 12/18: UDFA

Scouting report via TDN (full report)

The physical talent is obvious. Khalan Laborn is a former 5-star recruit who never had his athleticism sapped by injuries; he simply couldn’t get on the field for other reasons. The result for 2022 is a player at Marshall who pops with the ball in his hands and runs motivated by the opportunity he’s been presented with. Laborn has explosion in short spaces—that much is evident very quickly. His ability to explode into contact or otherwise apply force to break angles of pursuit is impressive and has flashed both behind the line of scrimmage and at the second level in open space. This twitch, with his frame, allows him some wiggle to break down open-field tacklers as well (ask Notre Dame’s Brandon Joseph). There are some bright flashes of visual anticipation of cut-back opportunities thus far in 2022, allowing him to slice back against the grain and open up chunk runs. The raw potential here is notable and the Herd is getting him the football in bunches to capitalize on his fresh legs. That’s always an enticing combination for NFL teams looking for low investment opportunities to find steals at the running back position.

UConn

Christian Haynes, iOL (No. 64)

NMDD draft projection as of 12/18: UDFA

Scouting report via NFLDraftBuzz.com (full report)

Quick-footed with smooth movement skills to cover a large area. Rangy with above average lateral ability. Bursts off the snap and sets up quickly with little wasted motion.

Good initial quickness to seal defenders, with powerful hands to jar with an initial punch. Flashes a mean streak and enjoys the physicality of the game.

In the run game, Haynes plays with a mean streak and does a nice job generating a push at the initial point of attack. Haynes can get outside and does a decent job landing blocks in space.

At his best mauling in the run game, playing with a nasty demeanor and consistently keeping it going through the whistle.

Hand placement is excellent, and he shows a good understanding of angles when climbing upfield

In the run game, he explodes off the line of scrimmage and consistently gets out to the second level to do damage.