For Alabama junior running back Mark Ingram, his ability to bounce off defenders, spin off would-be tacklers and pound defenses for extra yards after initial contact involves more than keeping his knees up and his pad level low.
"It's something mental. I don't think it's something you can work on," Ingram said. "When it comes to game time, it's your willingness, your desire to keep getting extra yards, keep fighting, try and make a play for the team."
Ingram's unwavering desire to stay on his feet exemplifies what makes him a solid all-around football player. He doesn't have ideal size for a running back, and his speed is not elite, but it's the intangibles that turned him into Alabama's first Heisman Trophy winner.
"I mean, he is just tough, relentless, hard to get on the floor, " San Francisco 49ers running back and former Alabama backfield-mate Glen Coffee said. "When you hit him on square parts of his body, he's not going to fall."
And with an elite No. 2 back in sophomore Trent Richardson -- who many consider a better prospect than Ingram -- sharing his carries and lessening his load this year, odds are that a team will pluck a fresh and uninjured Ingram in the first round of the 2011 draft -- if he decides to forgo his senior season.
To read why some NFL teams may pass on Ingram, and why that might be a mistake, you must be an ESPN Insider.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Scouts Inc.
Todd McShay (left) is the director of college scouting for Scouts Inc. McShay, who played quarterback at Richmond, has been evaluating NFL prospects since 1998. Follow Todd on Twitter: @McShay13
Steve Muench (middle) played guard at Richmond and worked in the athletic department there and at Boston College before joining Scouts Inc. in 2002. Follow Steve on Twitter: @SteveMuenchESPN
Kevin Weidl (right) is a former quarterback for Indiana (Pa.) University who worked in the pro scouting department for the New York Jets before joining Scouts Inc. in 2007. Follow Kevin on Twitter: @Kevin_Weidl
Follow ESPN's draft coverage on Twitter.
