2022 NFL Draft prospect profile – Ed Ingram, OG, LSU

Ingram is a powerful guard, but an off-field red flag complicates matters

NFL teams could face a particularly difficult evaluation in offensive guard Ed Ingram out of LSU.

On the field, Ingram is big, powerful, and shows flashes of dominance as a run blocker and pass protector. However, he isn’t a fit for every scheme and that could limit the number of teams who could value him.

But teams will not only have to do the usual work of evaluating him on the field and projecting him to the next level, but he comes with potentially significant off-field concerns. Ingram was arrested in 2018 on two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a minor stemming from when he was 16. The charges were dropped shortly before the start of the 2019 season. Teams will obviously have to do their due diligence and investigate. However, the original charges were filed under seal in Texas, and details are sparse in the public sphere.

Assuming Ingram’s off-field character passes the New York Giants scrutiny, selecting him would be very informative about Brian Daboll’s and Mike Kafka’s plans for the offense.

Prospect: Ed Ingram (70)
Games Watched: vs. Mississippi State (2020), vs. Mississippi State (2021), vs. Auburn (2021), vs. South Carolina (2021)
Red Flags: Arrested in 2018 (charges dropped in 2019)

Measurables

Height: 6’3″
Weight: 317
Arm Length: 33 ⅜″
Wingspan: 83 ⅞″
Hand: 10″

Games Played: 34 (12 starts in 2021)

Quick Summary

Best: Size, play strength, leverage, run blocking
Worst: Technique, consistency, overall athleticism
Projection: A starting guard in a power-based blocking scheme

Game Tape

(Ingram is left guard number 70)

Full Report

LSU’s Ed Ingram has a good combination of size, play strength, leverage, and functional movement skills to play the guard position at the NFL level.

Ingram has a stout, powerful build at 6-foot-3, 317 pounds with decently long arms for his height, big hands, and good thickness throughout his frame. He has decent lower-body flexibility despite his thick build, showing good knee flexibility to keep his hips and pads down until it’s time to uncoil and drive defenders back. Ingram also has enough ankle flexibility to maintain a wide base and good contact with the ground when moving laterally.

Ingram plays with excellent strength and power as both a pass protector and a run blocker. He is easily able to anchor or re-anchor against bull rushes and often finds himself blocking on an island while the rest of his linemates are driven back. Ingram is also capable of uncoiling his hips to deliver powerful blocks in down-hill rushing schemes. He creates early movement along the line of scrimmage and can consistently open holes in the running game. Ingram also shows a good understanding of angles, using his initial power to twist defenders and wall them off from running lanes. He also has big, powerful hands which allow him to control defenders and sustain blocks when he plays with proper placement and leverage.

Ingram has acceptable lateral mobility in a short area and can mirror most interior pass rushers on speed rushes.

Ingram is, however, a limited athlete overall. He lacks great foot speed, which can limit him when he’s asked to play in space at the second level, change gaps as a pulling guard, or forced to protect a wider area of the field due to the defensive scheme. In those situations he can struggle to get into a good position in time to make effective blocks. Likewise, and likely somewhat related, Ingram’s technique can be inconsistent. He can be forced to lunge or have his hands drift wide when he isn’t able to get good positioning on defenders. Other times his hand placement can just be wild, giving up his chest plate to defenders, or his legs can straighten prematurely.

Ingram can also be prone to lapses in concentration on longer reps. At times he can miss delayed pressure or lose track of rushers on scramble drills.

Overall Grade: 6.9

Projection

LSU Guard Ed Ingram projects as a starting guard in the NFL, though he has some scheme limitations.

Ingram will need to land on a team that uses a power running game and primarily man-gap or inside zone schemes. Ingram would also do well on a team that uses quick rhythm-based passing concepts and play-action to take advantage of his run blocking prowess while keeping reps shorter.

Ingram isn’t as athletically limited as other linemen (particularly interior linemen) who have had success in the NFL, and he should be able to secure a starting job in the right offense. However, his draft stock will likely vary widely based on his scheme fit with individual teams. Power-based teams could have him as a solid Day 2 prospect, while teams who are built on outside zone concepts could value him somewhere on Day 3.

Ingram will need to work to smooth out the dips in his level of play and become more consistent with his technique. He is capable of dominating defenders when he plays with good technique and leverage. Other times, however, he can be put on skates or simply run past if he misses his initial block or doesn’t execute with good form.

Ingram has the potential to challenge for a starting job right away, but he would need to be in the right environment, with the right scheme, a solid offensive line coach, and he will need to be willing to put in work himself.