NFL Draft 2012: Looking At Melvin Ingram As A Possible Selection For The Arizona Cardinals

With many of the free agents having been covered in our series and the draft being less than one month away, we are now going to move into a series that will deal with possible Cardinals picks. What we will do is give you some scouting report information on players (I will attempt to go in order by position) and have you vote on whether or not you would like to see the Arizona Cardinals draft that player.

To start things off, we will look at some of the premiere pass rushers that will be entering the draft. One of those players is Melvin Ingram, who by all accounts, looks to be the real deal.

Our friends over at Mocking the Draft did a great job of highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of Ingram in one of their scouting reports. As Dan Kadar reports, Ingram has no issue getting to the quarterback. Although he doesn't have the first step of a DeMarcus Ware, he makes up for it with a bevy of moves. His technique at the college level was almost unstoppable.

But if the Cardinals were to draft Ingram, he would be making a transition. He is used to playing with his hand in the turf as a defensive end and in the Cardinals scheme, he would be a stand up outside linebacker. So if that happens, the question everyone will want to know is if Ingram can play in space. Kadar seems to think he will have no issues in that regard either:

Although Ingram hasn't been used much dropping back in coverage, he has the agility and range to transition well with some repetitions. He's done well when used in zone coverage and returned an interception for a touchdown as a junior. Almost a complete unknown in man situations. May need to learn how to match up one-on-one against tight ends and running backs. Height may be a disadvantage against big tight ends.

Thanks to Sports-reference.com, we also have some collegiate stats for Mr. Ingram. He saw a steady increase in productivity all the way through his senior season at South Carolina. By the time the 2011 season came to a close, Ingram had collected 10 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, one forced fumble and 2 interceptions. The guy was a one man wrecking crew for the Gamecocks.

And in case you don't believe me, take a look at this highlight video of his senior season:

So what do you think about the Cardinals drafting Melvin Ingram should he fall to the 13th selection? Would he not only be able to fill a need, but be a best player available pick as well? Tell us what you think in the comments section and vote in the poll.

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