Is Mark Ingram Visiting The Pats?

[Don Kipines]

I also think BB will take a hard look at Ingram. But there is more information to consider than just his knee.

As to the fumbling question, you're right that he fumbles infrequently but he does have 2 fumbles. His first against Tenn. set up a Vol TD & almost cost Bama the game in 2009. His 2nd against Auburn in '10 cost Bama 7 points as the Tide was ready to make that game a blowout. That fumble gave Auburn hope & shifted momentum for the balance of the game.

In '09, Ingram ran for 1658 yards and won the Heisman. But in '10, Ingram's yards fell to 875. That's a huge drop in production. His avg/carry went from 6.1 to 5.5. Why? Auburn had a lousy D in both '09 and '10, yet held Ingram to a 4.0 yd/carry avg. Could it be that Ingram is a product of Bama's great (or at least very good) OL and that his stats were padded to a degree against the lesser teams?

It's easy to point to his Heisman and to the 1658 yards he picked up as a junior, but you can't dismiss the drop to 875 yards last season, the knee injury or his lack of top end speed. BB has well known ties to Saban and I won't be totally surprised if BB drafts Ingram because of it.

I go back and forth on Ingram. Athletically he grades out to be pretty much exactly BJGE. But you watch him and he clearly has great feet and great balance and he hits the hole incredibly fast.

With the Pats' passing game you have to imagine that the running opportunities will be great -- if they had a Corey Dillon-style runner, a guy who got everything that was there and then added a little extra, they'd be pretty unstoppable. Ingram looks like he breaks plenty of tackles. You can imagine him averaging 4.7, 4.8 YPC in the Patriots' offense.

Then again, that knee... I just don't know. I guess I won't be upset if they take him with the 28th or 33rd pick. But at 17, especially if Watt or Jordan was still out there, I'd flip.

 

[Fencer]

Ingram sounds like he'd be BJGE's equal or better as a runner from the moment he put on a Patriots jersey, and his superior as a receiver. He also sounds like he's learn to block to pro standards pretty quickly, although one analyst (Mayock or somebody similar) said his blocking doesn't look nearly as good on tape as other sources suggest.

So I think there would be a use for him on the team.

If you think somebody is the next coming of Logan Mankins or even Shawn Merriman, you might want that guy instead, but otherwise Ingram sounds like a good use of a late 1st/early 2nd pick.

 

[VJCPatriot]

If Ingram is the best value at 28 or 33, I honestly wouldn't mind the pick. He offers more versatility and athleticism at RB than BJGE and hits the holes hard and decisively. A very physical RB presence. Now whether he lasts that long who knows. The dark horse team I have looking at Ingram is New Orleans. He would really give their offense another dimension that they've been lacking and be their 'bellcow' back.

 

[Uncle Rico]

I go back and forth on Ingram. Athletically he grades out to be pretty much exactly BJGE. But you watch him and he clearly has great feet and great balance and he hits the hole incredibly fast.

With the Pats' passing game you have to imagine that the running opportunities will be great -- if they had a Corey Dillon-style runner, a guy who got everything that was there and then added a little extra, they'd be pretty unstoppable. Ingram looks like he breaks plenty of tackles. You can imagine him averaging 4.7, 4.8 YPC in the Patriots' offense.

Then again, that knee... I just don't know. I guess I won't be upset if they take him with the 28th or 33rd pick. But at 17, especially if Watt or Jordan was still out there, I'd flip.

From what little I've seen, Leshoure seems to fit this description, and is close to the same size as Dillon. I like the way he lets his blockers do their jobs on the highlight reel YouTube - Mikel Leshoure 2010 Highlights

 

[supafly]

I also think BB will take a hard look at Ingram. But there is more information to consider than just his knee.

As to the fumbling question, you're right that he fumbles infrequently but he does have 2 fumbles. His first against Tenn. set up a Vol TD & almost cost Bama the game in 2009. His 2nd against Auburn in '10 cost Bama 7 points as the Tide was ready to make that game a blowout. That fumble gave Auburn hope & shifted momentum for the balance of the game.

In '09, Ingram ran for 1658 yards and won the Heisman. But in '10, Ingram's yards fell to 875. That's a huge drop in production. His avg/carry went from 6.1 to 5.5. Why? Auburn had a lousy D in both '09 and '10, yet held Ingram to a 4.0 yd/carry avg. Could it be that Ingram is a product of Bama's great (or at least very good) OL and that his stats were padded to a degree against the lesser teams?

It's easy to point to his Heisman and to the 1658 yards he picked up as a junior, but you can't dismiss the drop to 875 yards last season, the knee injury or his lack of top end speed. BB has well known ties to Saban and I won't be totally surprised if BB drafts Ingram because of it.

Well, then ESPN has it wrong I suppose. That is where I looked up his stats.

It says he never fumbled.

Zeros down the board in fumbles, and fumbles lost every single year.

Here's the link FWIW (I understand it is not correct apparently)

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=379061

---------------------------

Mark Ingram #22 RB

2010 STATS
ATTEMPTS YARDS TOUCHDOWNS
158 875 13

CAREER STATS
ATTEMPTS YARDS TOUCHDOWNS
572 3,261 42
Hometown FLINT, MI
Height 5-9
Weight 215 lbs.
Class Junior

ProfileStatsSplitsGame Log
Stats Overview Rushing Receiving Fumbles
YEAR ATT YDS AVG LNG TD REC YDS AVG LNG TD FUM LST
2008 143 728 5.1 40 12 7 54 7.7 27 0 0 0
2009 271 1658 6.1 70 17 32 334 10.4 69 3 0 0
2010 158 875 5.5 54 13 21 282 13.4 78 1 0 0

 

[jefmblrd]

From what little I've seen, Leshoure seems to fit this description, and is close to the same size as Dillon. I like the way he lets his blockers do their jobs on the highlight reel YouTube - Mikel Leshoure 2010 Highlights

I would be happy with the Pats choosing Mikel Leshoure in the second or even better the third (although I don't think he'll last that long).

 

[Sciz]

ESPN has 0 fumbles for every RB I've ever looked at.

 

[supafly]

ESPN has 0 fumbles for every RB I've ever looked at.

That's interesting. The first 2 guys I looked up have a ton of fumbles. Must be just a weird coincidence for you (???)

Rashard Mendenhall #34 RB

Stats Overview Rushing Receiving Fumbles
SPLIT ATT YDS AVG LNG TD REC YDS AVG LNG TD FUM LST
2010 324 1273 3.9 50 13 23 167 7.3 24 0 2 2
Career 585 2439 4.2 60 20 50 445 8.9 26 1 5 5

Rashard Mendenhall Profile - Pittsburgh Steelers - ESPN

Jamaal Charles #25 RB


Stats Overview Rushing Receiving Fumbles
SPLIT ATT YDS AVG LNG TD REC YDS AVG LNG TD FUM LST
2010 230 1467 6.4 80 5 45 468 10.4 31 3 3 2
Career 487 2944 6.0 80 12 112 1037 9.3 75 5 7 6

Jamaal Charles Profile - Kansas City Chiefs - ESPN

EDIT: Ahhh, I see what you mean---it's the NCAA players you're talking about, pretty weird.

 

[supafly]

I would be happy with the Pats choosing Mikel Leshoure in the second or even better the third (although I don't think he'll last that long).

I'd be happy with Leshoure also, but I don't think there's any way he lasts past the mid to late 40's.

I'd also be happy with Ryan Williams.

 

[serifyn]

The Patriots dont need/dont value a RB to take them in the first round. i dont think the patriots would even take mark ingram until the 2nd round.

Basically right now the patriots are looking for someone who can come in and split carries with BJGE, that player might even be woodhead.

i think the patriots are interested in a RB, but they can find what they are looking for in the late 2nd or 3rd round. save all of their early ammunition on a real position of need...

 

[supafly]

The Patriots dont need/dont value a RB to take them in the first round. i dont think the patriots would even take mark ingram until the 2nd round.

Basically right now the patriots are looking for someone who can come in and split carries with BJGE, that player might even be woodhead.

i think the patriots are interested in a RB, but they can find what they are looking for in the late 2nd or 3rd round. save all of their early ammunition on a real position of need...

You make a very good point, and I will likely agree that BB will be targeting a RB in rds 2-3, as there seems to be depth in this yr's draft---unless he likes a specific RB or two. It'll all depend on his analysis, of course.

What WE value as positions of 'need,' Belichick may NOT agree with.

We all 'think' we NEED that high pick DE, and I agree, but does BB?

Remember, we are still in the luxury of being able to draft BPA, and that is likely what we will do. Now, that said, I believe that an early pick DE = BPA with one of the first 2 or 3 picks, and that is why I think he'll pick a DE.

But I don't know if he necessarily agrees with us or not that these positions (DE,OLB,OL) are all such a position of 'need?' And I certainly don't know if he agrees with us that they all need to be addressed in the first 2 rounds, as we can address these areas in the mid to later rounds also. There's also the probability that someone will get taken via free agency.

I still personally believe that we will be targeting BPA, which will end up including offensive positions in the first 2-3 rounds. (and so many 'experts' in the fan base will be so incredibly shocked)

All of our 'needs' will be addressed--but they may not be addressed in the same order that Belichick sees fit. In other words, I think there's not only value at RB in the first 3 rounds, I think there's also value at GASP....QB too.