2011 NFL Draft Rumors: Kyle Rudolph, Mark Ingram Could Go Earlier Than Expected

According to Detroit Lions featured columnist Michael Schottey via Twitter, there are rumors circulating that both Kyle Rudolph and Mark Ingram could be drafted earlier than most expect.

Rudolph has been projected at the end of the first round, while Ingram has been projected anywhere from the middle of the first round to the beginning of the second round.

I projected Rudolph to the Atlanta Falcons in my most recent mock draft, but according to Schottey's source, the Notre Dame tight end may not even make it that far.

Of course, these are always the types of rumors we begin hearing with less than 24 hours to go until the first round. That's the nature of the NFL draft. The misinformation leads all the way up to yesterday, and now the real stuff starts pouring out.

Don't get too certain, though. Misinformation will guide the way all the way up to the final minutes before a team makes their pick. That's just the nature of the NFL draft. Why would teams want to give insight on what they could do, and allow another team to potentially spoil their plans?

As for the value of Rudolph and Ingram in the first round, I'm not too high on either player.

Rudolph never really had a breakout campaign that we'd expect from a first-round tight end. He had 90 receptions for 1,032 yards and eight touchdowns on his collegiate career. Two years' worth of those numbers come with Jimmy Clausen at the helm of the Irish offense. Remember, too, that Clausen was an elite collegiate quarterback even if nothing at all on the NFL level (yet).

Ingram is a talented player, without a doubt, and most of the knocks I have on him aren't even against him as much as the running back position itself. With the wear and tear NFL backs must endure, the value of taking one in the first round is severely diminished, even if there's no history of injury to be had.

Add to that the fact that Ingram already had arthroscopic knee surgery prior to the 2010 season, and there's enough reason to stay away.

Ingram's production will be more than enticing, though. With 3,261 rushing yards and 42 rushing touchdowns to go with 670 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns, the production is certainly there to warrant a first-round pick. He's called a "gamer" who may not have elite game-breaking speed, but knows how to run hard and effectively.

With so many teams looking for top defensive talent in the first round, it could be two offensive players that have the biggest impact on the first round.