TE, Cornelius Ingram, Florida

TE, Cornelius Ingram, Florida

Pros:  Good height for the position. Reliable hands, often catching the ball away from his body. Good release off the line, and can handle press coverage from safeties. Very quick across the middle on crossing routes, causing matchup issues for linebackers. Drops his hips into routes, and gets off plant foot quickly. Find holes in zones and presents a nice target. Runs with a lean after the catch, and can bounce off tackles to get yards after contact. Willing blocker who attacks the second level on run plays from the slot.

Cons:  Has to prove he has recovered from the torn ACL that kept him on the sideline for his entire senior season. Has a wideout build in upper body and legs. A stand-up tight end who lines up in the slot or closer to the tackle, and must learn to get out of three-point stance. Does not offer much in terms of in-line blocking because of his lack of bulk. Needs to sustain blocks longer on the edge. Does not have elite speed to separate from safeties or quick linebackers, but can make the tough catch when covered. Character red flags after a complaint for eviction and damages from a Gainesville apartment complex in August of 2008.

Around MHR:

Around SBNation:

From "Ranking the NFL Drafts 2009 TEs" at Buffalo Rumblings:

See Beckum, raise injury concerns, and subtract the pro-style offense bit.  Ingram isn't going to be a great fit in most NFL cities right out of the gate.  His potential, like many of the names on the list, is through the roof, but there's a rather large gap to cross between rookie and productive professional.

From "Scouting Report: Cornelius Ingram" at Buffalo Rumblings:

When he was lost prior to this season, Gator fans were crushed because no one in the SEC (home of America's best college football, thank you very much) had an answer for him. At 6'4", he is too tall for a corner, yet is just as athletic. At 245 pounds, he isn't as big as a linebacker, but he can out run them. Because of his physical advantages (too fast for LBs, too big for CBs), he was often wide open.  Ingram won't run away from many [DBs], so he prefers to run them over.

Highlights:

Scouting Reports and Offsite Links:

• The former Florida standout ran a 4.5 40 and did not drop a pass. He also made a leaping catch on a seam route and made another leaping catch and got both feet in bounds near the sideline. Both catches drew applause from spectators and showed he is not suffering any lingering effects from the torn anterior cruciate ligament that derailed his redshirt senior season.
  
  "Going into the combine, I was thinking about it [his knee] a lot more, but today I totally relaxed and just came out like anything didn't happen," he said. "I didn't feel anything. I felt good throughout the day. The knee's fine.  [see more...]
• They (the scouts) already like him as a potential NFL standout due to his size (6'4'' and 245 pounds) and speed (can run under 4.6 in the 40). His numbers as a junior amidst a Gator offense loaded with other weapons certainly do not hurt his stock. Ingram was a red-zone fiend at Florida and he should be just that on Sundays as well. The key for Ingram is to get healthy and prove himself in off-season workouts. If he can do that, he should be able to convince at least one NFL team to snatch him up before the end of the third round. His talent, for sure, warrants such a pick.  [see more...]
• Began his college career as a quarterback and redshirted in 2004...Saw playing time as a guard for the Gator basketball team during the 2004-05 season...Was moved to wide receiver / tight end during the 2005 season and seriously contemplated quitting the team...Started two games in 2006 before really emerging as a key cog in the Gators high-powered offense as a junior...Was named 2nd Team All-SEC in 2007...Considering going pro early but opted to return to Gainesville for his senior year...Tore the ACL in his left knee during a 7-on-7 drill in practice last August and missed the entire 2008 season...Also being looked at as an H-Back...A mismatch waiting to happen and in many ways he's a wideout in a tight end's body...One-dimensional and very raw but could be a dynamic pass catching threat.  [see more...]
• An explosive athlete who gets up to speed quickly and has the burst to run away from linebackers down the field. Showcases reliable hands and does a nice job attacking the ball at its highest point. Displays good instincts finding soft spots in zone coverage. Is an very smooth route runner and knows how to sink his hips and change directions cleanly.  [see more...]