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Mark Ingram is an absolutely tremendous all around Running Back. He commands an extraordinary fusion of Burst, Power, Fluidity, and Lateral Agility. He runs with Vision and with amazing Instincts. He is clearly the Alpha Running Back of this Class.
The Great Wes Bunting describes him as "more quick than fast" as if that were a bad thing, signally a very rare divergence in perspective between that venerable Analyst and myself: For me, that makes Ingram all the more alluring a Talent, because I am absolutely convinced that it's the incessant 5 and 10 yard gashes ~ not the occasional High Light Reel 80 Yard Blast ~ that Move The Chains, take control of games...and forge Championships.
He's a decent Blocker and an adequete Receiver.
In my efforts to organize RB's by their styles, I've invented the terms "Smashers", "Slashers", and "Thrashers" as what I hope will be easy references, respectively, to Power Backs, 3rd Down Backs, and Hybrids. "Tail Back" and "Half Back" are used too interchangeably, and in any case, a 3rd term is need, for there are at least 3 distinct types.
In that vein, I consider Mark Ingram a Thrasher, as he commands a fusion of skills that make him equally adept between the Tackles or outside them.
I do NOT countenance drafting Running Backs in the 1st Round...But if you absolutely had your heart set on it...you could do one hell of a lot worse.
Boomer!!!
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