Last year safety Quintin Demps proclaimed himself a steal in the 2008 draft.
This year that title goes to former Florida tight end Cornelius Ingram.
While the Eagles were fortunate to get Jeremy Maclin at nineteen, if it wasn’t for a torn ACL injury that cut his 2008 season short, Ingram could have been selected in the second round according to draft expert Mike Mayock. Mayock also believed that Ingram would have been considered the number one tight end in the draft over former Oklahoma State tight end Brandon Pettigrew.
What makes Ingram so intriguing is that unlike Pettigrew he fits the Eagles offensive scheme perfectly. He is a good route runner due to the fact that he played in the spread offense. He is not known for his blocking ability like Pettigrew, Ingram’s talents as a pass catcher will give the Eagles an immediate boost in their red zone production.
At 6’4 and 245 pounds he is very athletic and even played basketball one year while at Florida. He has the ability to line up as a wide receiver, which will cause match up problems for the defense because he is too big for a corner and too fast for a linebacker.
I think Ingram is a better fit for the Eagles than Pettigrew because, while Pettigrew is a better blocker, the Eagles do not run the ball enough to make the tight end vital to the blocking scheme. Also the Eagles have one of the best and biggest offensive lines in the league and if the tight end is needed that badly in the running game then the birds have a serious problem. With Ingram’s speed he will be able to work the deep middle of the field and open up passing lanes on the outside. He along with Brent Celek should team up to be one of top young tight end duos in the league.
As a whole I thought the Eagles had a very good draft. They were aggressive in going up and getting Maclin and bringing in a veteran cornerback in Ellis Hobbs. They were also patient and maybe even lucky having McCoy fall in their lap at 53. Yet, if Ingram can stay healthy the Eagles would have picked a player in the fifth round that was projected to go in the second round and that would be a true steal.
