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All Rights Reserved

Saleem Rasheed

Saleem Rasheed

LB, 6'3, 224, 4.45, 375 BP
Birmingham, AL

Birthday: 6-15-81
High School: Shades Valley
HS Mascot: Mounties
HS Coach: Robert Higginbotham
HS Position: LB
HS Number: 20
AL Number: 11
Official Visits: AL, FL, Georgia Tech
Second Choice: Florida
Host During Alabama Visit: Theo Sanders
Committed: 1-26-99
Roommate To Be: Alonzo Ephraim
Academic Status: Qualified

Stats

HS Junior Season

Tackles

  • 140 total
  • 14 for loss

HS Senior Season

Tackles

  • 155 total
  • 39 for loss
  • 13 QB sacks

Honors

  • Two-time All-State
  • Gatorade State Player of The Year
  • Super Prep Dixie Defensive Player of The Year
  • Parade All-American
  • Tampa Tribune National Top 100
  • SuperPrep National Top 50
  • BHP State's Top Prospect
  • Four-time All-Metro
  • Team Defensive MVP
  • Team Captain
  • Tuscaloosa News Sweet 16
  • USA Today All American
  • Pigskin Preps Super South 75
  • Forrest Davis All South
  • SuperPrep All American
  • Prep Star All American
  • AL MS HS All Star Game

SBR Scouting Report

Great speed. Makes tackles all over the field. Excellent “back-side” pursuer. Multi-sport athlete that will gain weight when he begins a year-round football strength and conditioning program. “Mike” linebacker could be his best position. Projects as a linebacker.

[Observation: junior game film and live as a senior.]

Stories

He's Special

By Allan Stansell

When Saleem Rasheed first put on a set of shoulder pads as a seventh grader, something clicked. From that moment on, he knew what he wanted to do with his life.

"Ever since I started, I knew I wanted to play football," Rasheed said. "I loved football. But, it took me a while to get pretty good at it," he added.

Rasheed would become more than "pretty good". He would grow to become a 6-foot-3, 225-pound linebacker with 4.42-second closing speed, and a knack for arriving at the point of attack in a bad mood. It was those abilities -- plus a 3.7 core GPA and a 23 ACT score -- that for the last year made college recruiters from all across the South and the nation beat a path to his door. In the end, Rasheed parlayed his love for the game into a scholarship at the University of Alabama and an opportunity to be a part of the resurgence of the once-dominant Crimson Tide program.

"In the end it was just my gut feeling. I felt in my heart that I belonged at Alabama," Rasheed said. Rasheed cited other factors he considered in making his decision, such as the proximity of the Capstone to his parents and friends. "It's very important to me to have my family and friends there to see me play."

"I really thought hard about Florida and Georgia Tech, but in the end, I just felt like I fit in best at Alabama."

Saleem Rasheed
Rasheed

Rasheed led Shades Valley High School to the state of Alabama 6A playoffs with 155 tackles, 12 sacks, and 39 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. He also played running back and special teams for Coach Robert Higginbotham's Mounties. Higginbotham said that he knew Rasheed would be a special player from the moment he first saw him.

"He started for us at defensive end in the ninth grade, and he's been an impact player ever since," Higginbotham said. He has an awful lot of ability. He comes as close to dominating a game as any defensive player I've ever been around."

Higginbotham also coached former Tide linebacker Tito Smith and current Alabama defensive end Theo Sanders at Shades Valley. He said Rasheed has more ability than either Smith or Sanders and has two characteristics that cannot be coached: aggressiveness and a solid work ethic.

"Saleem is more aggressive [than Smith and Sanders]," Higginbotham said. "He is also one of those players who leads by example. He is always working to improve." Higginbotham added that he believes Rasheed will end up playing at 235 to 240 pounds and that someday Rasheed might develop into a great rush end.

With his high school graduation a couple of months away, Rasheed can barely contain his excitement about the future.

"I'm excited about the opportunity to come in there and play," Rasheed said. "I really can't wait until it [graduation from high school] comes so I can move on to the next level."

Rasheed has been selected to participate in the Alabama-Mississippi high school all-star game in June, although he said he hasn't decided whether to participate due to the possibility of an injury.

At the next level, Rasheed expects to be in the mix for significant playing time -- and possibly a starting role by season's end -- with the Tide defense next fall. Rasheed said he plans to attend as many spring practice sessions as he can in order to observe what's going on and to learn as much of the terminology as possible. Of particular interest to Rasheed are the pass coverage assignments given to the outside linebackers, a task he was rarely called on to carry out in high school since he was primarily a pass-rusher in third-down situations. Rasheed expects the Alabama defense to be improved in 1999, but adds that he believes he can compete with any of the outside linebackers on the Tide's depth chart.

"I think Canary Knight is going to be there [at one starting spot], but I think I can play with anybody there right now," Rasheed said. He added that with Knight, Chris Horne, Miguel Merritt, Darius Gilbert, Victor Ellis, and himself, Alabama has the making of a good corps of linebackers.

Rasheed admitted that the Alabama coaches told him that there would definitely be some changes in responsibilities among the defensive coaches. He hinted that head coach Mike DuBose would be more of a "hands-on" coach, working with the defensive line and the linebackers, and possibly calling the defensive schemes from the sideline.

Before his freshman season arrives, Rasheed faces a summer of hard work which, as far as hitting the weights is concerned, has already begun. Rasheed is on a weight program designed to add strength and size [he currently bench presses 375 lbs. and squats 540 lbs.] which he believes will have him ready to compete next fall. He has cut back on his running program a bit to allow him to keep the added bulk.

Rasheed will enroll in summer school in July to allow himself to get an early start academically, and enable him to work out under the supervision of Tide strength coach, Terry Jones. Academics are important to Rasheed, who tentatively plans to major in marketing at Alabama.

Saleem Rasheed
Rasheed (20).

It doesn't take one long after being around Saleem Rasheed to realize he is not your typical 17-year old. Consider that on a typical day, Rasheed attends school, then goes to work at a Birmingham-area accounting firm for half of a day, then returns to school for a grueling two-hour workout, and then heads home to hit the books. All of that, and yet Rasheed insists he still has time for a social life, although one wonders how he has the energy for it.

Rasheed credits his brother, Dawud, his parents, his coaches, and his religion for shaping his development as a person and as a football player.

"My brother taught me to have a good work ethic," he said. I went up to Duke and worked out with him this summer. He taught me how to really get in there [the weight room] and work hard to improve. He really motivated me to get stronger and faster."

Rasheed said that both of his parents guided him as a youth, but in different ways.

"My Mom is a football mom, and I go to her for advice when I need it, but athletically I guess my father was the biggest influence as far as how to conduct myself on the football field," Rasheed said.

Rasheed, a devout Muslim, credits his faith for instilling in him the discipline that shaped his development.

"We [Muslims] go through a fasting period [Ramadan]," Rasheed said. It takes a lot of discipline to go from sunrise to sunset without eating a meal. I also make five prayers a day. I believe that is the strongest factor in my development, my relationship with God."


Rasheed and Alonzo Ephraim

Ironically, one of Rasheed's closest friends, future Alabama teammate (and roommate) Alonzo Ephraim, is a devout Christian. Rasheed said that their differing religious faiths has never been an issue between him and Ephraim, and doesn't expect it to become one.

"We've developed a pretty close relationship," Rasheed said. "We haven't talked too much about it [religion]. If Alonzo has questions about my religion, I'll explain it to him," he added.

Like most players of his caliber, Rasheed hopes to eventually wind up in the NFL. "It's definitely a goal of mine. I believe if I continue to work hard and always put God first, I'll make it," he said.

As for now, Rasheed is concentrating on preparing for his college career. His immediate goal is to earn playing time as a freshman. After that, his goals are set even higher.

"By my sophomore year, I want to be regarded as one of the top linebackers in the SEC," Rasheed stated.