Melvin Ingram Combine: Comparing Stud DE's Talents to Current NFL Stars

One of the brightest stars at the 2012 NFL combine has been South Carolina Gamecocks defensive end Melvin Ingram.

The star defensive lineman has been touted as a first-round pick for months, but longer looks at the tape and a stellar performance at the combine has his talent rated in the top-ten for many teams.

With the combine picking apart each player’s game, I decided to break down the positives and negatives of what Ingram has to offer and who in the NFL that compares. You’d be surprised.

Positives

There is no defensive lineman that is more versatile than Melvin Ingram is this draft, but it goes beyond just the defensive line. With incredible speed and coverage abilities, shifting to outside linebacker could also be an option.

With incredible speed (4.66 40-yard dash) and unbelievable strength (28 reps on bench press), the combine showed the doubters that he has what it takes to play anywhere on the field. His versatility and work ethic have made him a menace for opposing offenses.

If I had to compare Ingram’s positives to a current NFL player, he strikes me as a shorter version of Trent Cole from Philadelphia. While his main focus is getting after the passer, he has the ability to stop the run and drop into coverage when needed.

It’s that same versatility that Cole shows that will make Ingram a household name.

Negatives

The biggest negative that scouts have pointed at has been his size. While he is flawless in almost every other aspect of his game, the root of his entire issues starts with his stature. At 6’1” and 264 pounds with an arm length of 31 1/2”, Ingram falls into the "tweener" category of the NFL.

While that is usually a term dumped on a mediocre player, Ingram is so talented that he could work in almost any system, just not at the same positions. The defensive end may be suited for the position in a 4-3 defense, but he may be switched to outside linebacker in a 3-4.

There are plenty of players who have found success playing at several positions during the course of a season, and Ingram’s ability to play defensive tackle is a major plus as well.

The NFL gives you the perfect model of what Ingram could become if he works hard in Denver Broncos’ 5’11” defensive end Elvis Dumervil. While Dumervil is shorter, he makes up for it with speed and power.

Sound familiar?

Where’s He Going?

Whenever a first-round talent has a stellar Combine showing, his stock usually jumps up. Ingram has definitely jumped up many big boards during his sessions.

There had been talk about the Miami Dolphins trying to trade out of the No. 9 spot, my feeling is that whichever team falls in love with the star will trade there and make the selection. My gut says this pick could cause a war in the AFC East.

While Bill Belichick isn’t known for making big trades up on draft day, I think Melvin Ingram has the talents and the Patriots have the need to make this pick happen. It won’t be that easy, though, with many believing Rex Ryan and the New York Jets may be looking to take the Gamecocks standout.

Whoever gets him may be looking at the next star defensive lineman in the NFL.

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