2011 NFL Draft Grades: Not Everyone Infected with INGRAMANIA!

by Dave Cariello on Apr 30, 2011 1:13 AM CDT

2011 NFL Draft grades are already starting to trickle out from various sources around the internet and while most experts and analysts think very highly of the Saints draft thus far, there are a few pundits who aren't as optimistic, most notably the folks over at Walter Football.

For good reason, they've given the Saints top marks for their selections of Cameron Jordan and Martez Wilson, both of whom were steals at their respective draft slots. But have a gander at the draft grade they've assigned the Saints for their selection of Alabama running back Mark Ingram:

28. Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
I'm not a big fan of spending a first-round pick on a running back unless you're getting an Adrian Peterson or Chris Johnson. Does Ingram rank among those guys? Maybe. But if he did, he would have gone much earlier.

I hate the fact that the Saints surrendered a 2012 first-rounder for Ingram. That's why this grade is so low.

(Pick Grade: D)

Yowza! Pretty harsh. This guy did win the Heisman Trophy, right? And he was the highest rated running back in this years draft, correct? I understand the Saints had to give up next year's first round draft pick to snag the coveted Ingram but personally I think that's pretty respectable. Of course, I'm always a little nervous when the Saints are on the other end of a Bill Belichick trade.

But if Walter thought that was bad, he must have had a field day with the Atlanta Falcons' first round Al Davis-inspired maneuver to acquire Julio Jones. Surely he must have given the Falcons an "F" - or even worse - for all they gave up to position themselves to draft WR Julio Jones, right?

Atlanta gives up the No. 27 pick, a 2nd- and a 4th this year, and a 1st and a 4th next year. That's pretty insane. I'm not a fan of taking receivers very high unless you know you're getting a Calvin Johnson or Larry Fitzgerald. I don't think Jones is in that caliber.

That sounds about right. Can't argue with that. So what grade did Walter give the Falcons for this disaster?

(Pick Grade: C)

WHAT!? Just what the hell kinda Falcon-loving, sliding scale is this nut job using to base his grades!? After reading that, we can't possibly take his earlier assessment of the Mark Ingram pick seriously. Sorry, just not happening.

I know there are some Saints fans in Who Dat Nation who still aren't sold on Ingram and who really aren't crazy about what the Saints had to give up to get him. But is it really that bad?

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Comments

That is the most flawed logic I have heard.

Ingram isn’t an Adrian Peterson back, because he would have been taken earlier. Marques Colston obviously sucks, as does Antonio Gates and Tom Brady. Arian Foster must be a horrible running back as well. Carl Nicks ranks as one of the lowest Guards in the NFL. Meanwhile, Jamarcus Russel is in the middle of his wonderful pro career, and Ryan Leaf will soon retire as a sure-fire HOF. Dumbass.

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by Jon Banks on Apr 30, 2011 1:26 AM CDT reply actions 3 recs

I think the knock on Ingram is that he doesn’t have that breakaway speed that Adrian Peterson has. That’s why he wasn’t picked higher. However, i think this is a really good pick , because it gives the saints a legitimate 1200 to 1500 yard / year back the saints lacked since pre knee injury Deuce. He’s quick on his feet and has great vision reading the blocks ahead of him , setting them up, and finding holes. He’s also able to shed tackles , and you saw how important that is when Chris Ivory was healthy last season. He is basically like Pierre Thomas , but 3x better.

by ahammed on Apr 30, 2011 8:41 AM CDT up reply actions

illl take good speed and an iron grip over great speed and butter fingers any day

by MoonDog33 on Apr 30, 2011 1:58 PM CDT up reply actions

yeah… that “logic” is soo messed up I don’;t even know where to begin….

If you knew Chris Johnson was going to be Chris Johnson, HE WOULD HAVE BEEN DRAFTED HIGHER than 24.

The only thing we “gave up” was a second round pick.

We spent two first round picks on two first round players. We just got one early.

"It's more than a handful. It's a handsful."

by Dan Kelly on Apr 30, 2011 10:43 AM CDT up reply actions

exactly my rational

and it’s what i like most about the trade. We got the top rated RB in this year’s draft for basically a 2nd round pick

Let's have a 2011 season. Get a deal done

by skinnykinney on Apr 30, 2011 5:38 PM CDT up reply actions

I really want to hear from M-E on this one...

because he’s a known Walter lover. Loves him some Walter.

Wanna say something? Sign up! It's free!

by Dave Cariello on Apr 30, 2011 1:48 AM CDT reply actions

11:17: That’s an awesome moment. I’m pretty sorry I just gave the Saints a D for the pick.

I think Mr. Cherepinsky was carried away in the moment and tried to be all cute and contrarian and everything. Still, he hasn’t changed the grade. Three words for you, Walter: content management system.

It was good while it lasted.

by MtnExile on Apr 30, 2011 8:44 AM CDT up reply actions

What's more...

What does this mean, Walter:

I hate the fact that the Saints surrendered a 2012 first-rounder for Ingram.

Do you think we traded away our 2012 pick for Ingram, as Atlanta did for Jones? Wrong: we simply traded our 2012 #1 for New England’s 2011 #1.

The only extra price we paid was a second-rounder; so we were able to get the world’s largest cowbell for a price that, compared to what the Falcons paid, can only be considered measly.

It was good while it lasted.

by MtnExile on Apr 30, 2011 8:50 AM CDT up reply actions

exactly...

who knows what next years draft will bring. so when you are in a position to get an ingram type player (probably top 10 RB overall in the next couple drafts) why not make the swap? makes sense on its own…..BUTT THEN we got Martez in the 3rd round! in my mind Jordan was a great 1st round value, Ingram will be just as good if not better than anyone we might have gotten next year, Martez is a great “2nd round” pick even though we got him in the 3rd (insane lucky), and johnny patrick is a solid 3rd rounder.

let the Saints off season optimism start inflating!

by NYSaint on Apr 30, 2011 3:15 PM CDT up reply actions

This is great example of how mock drafts (i.e. draft anlysis) are useful merely as reference.

Walter had some quality comments about both Ingram and Jones, but his quantitative grades, which are analogous to actual mock draft selections, are a huge pile of subjective BS that gets portrayed as a projection of an actual event. I like to read comments from a number of sources and then allow the info to coalesce in my brain to form my actual opinion about things. I don’t take Walter’s predictions or grades as any indication of a players actual effect. But his comments, and those of the numerous other pundits, occasionally provide novel insight. This is what I’m looking for when I read about the NFL draft. We need to be able to suck up lots of info from different places, and interpret it as a whole. We also have to avoid taking any of the actual projections too seriously because they’re no better than educated guesses. The comments are where the value is. Not the quantitative summary (i.e. grade or mock pick) which is nothing more than a guesstimated quantification of someone’s opinion, which can be more accurately conveyed as a comment, or better yet, a series of comments.

by DaymanCometh on Apr 30, 2011 2:17 AM CDT reply actions

by Nabb1 on Apr 30, 2011 6:20 AM CDT reply actions 4 recs

lol

"It's more than a handful. It's a handsful."

by Dan Kelly on Apr 30, 2011 10:44 AM CDT up reply actions

When a team trades their future first round pick for a current pick (i.e. our next year pick for Mark Ingram, the 28th pick) it’s just both teams gambling on how they think that team will do:
If the Saints have a horrible season (which we won’t) New England really wins out and gets a high draft pick next year).
If the Saints have a great season and win the Super Bowl, the Patriots will get the last pick in the draft (aka a second round pick)…
…at either point is when the trade will really have any “value”. Yeah New England got our 2nd round pick, but the Saints thought that Mark Ingram was worth 2 “second rounders” i guess

My, philosophy is, basically this. And this is something that I live by. And I always have. And I always will. Don't, ever, for any reason, do anything, to anyone, for any reason, ever, no matter what, no matter where, or who or who you are with, or or where you are going, or, or where you've been. Ever. For any reason. Whatsoever.

by GRlZZ on Apr 30, 2011 6:29 AM CDT reply actions

Walter football Who

When I say WHO DAT U say TWO DAT!!!

by cajuncommando58 on Apr 30, 2011 8:05 AM CDT reply actions

Next year's first round Saints to Patriots pick

will hopefully be way down at the end of the round anyway.

"Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds" -Bob Marley

by PanheadCatahoula on Apr 30, 2011 11:59 AM CDT reply actions

yeah i'm pretty sure

that they have no plans to give up a pick before at least the 20th and with the lineup that we have could easily be the 28-32 pick.

Let's have a 2011 season. Get a deal done

by skinnykinney on Apr 30, 2011 5:41 PM CDT up reply actions

My only problem with the trade to get Ingram

is that they could have had Mikel Leshoure in the 2nd round without giving up anything. Mikel is every bit as good a runner as Ingram, but isn’t very good at pass blocking or receiving out of the backfield. Both of the latter are skills that he has the ability to learn though. I suppose there was no way for the Saints to know that Mikel would have been available – I’m sure the Lions were surprised and delighted.

by HB-NOLA on Apr 30, 2011 6:37 PM CDT reply actions