With the 17th Overall Pick, the New England Patriots select...

Could Mark Ingram make an immediate impact for The Patriots?

First off, I would like to thank the Oakland Raiders for their generous first round draft pick in exchange for Richard Seymour, you guys can't be thanked enough! Now on to the good stuff. There are a few voids that The Patriots need to fill during this years draft, and it's up in the air with what head coach Bill Belichick decides to do. So while we patiently wait for Red Sox opening day and the NFL Draft, I'll be playing the role of Bill Belichick.

With the 17th pick of the 2011 draft, The New England Patriots select: Mark Ingram, RB from Alabama.

Ingram has slipped down ten or more spots in this year's draft because of a mediocre 2010 season. He rushed for 903 yards, caught 21 balls for 282 and racked up 14 total touchdowns (13 rushing), but let's not forget about his Heisman Trophy campaign the year before that. In 2009 he racked up a massive 1,678 yards on the ground, caught 32 balls for 334 and had a total of 20 touchdowns (17 rushing). Ingram's numbers declined this year because of a minor knee surgery he had a week before the first game of the season. He missed the first two games while giving way to sophomore running back Trent Richardson. Richardson rushed for a combined 210 yards and 3 TD's, filling in nicely for Ingram. For the rest of the season, Head Coach Nick Saban had to go with the two-headed monster of Ingram and Richardson, therefore reducing Ingram's numbers.

Emmitt Smith comes to mind when I watch Mark Ingram play. Let's compare. Smith stands at 5'9'' and weighs in at 216; Ingram stands at 5'10'', weighing 215. Smith was drafted 17th overall by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1990 draft. The rest is history for Smith, who became the league's all time leading rusher while getting fitted for three championship rings on his fingers and after he retired, the Hall of Fame called a few years later. Twenty one years later The Patriots sit with the same 17th overall pick with the chance to take Ingram. Could Ingram break that all time rushing record? Probably not, but I think with his talent and a solid team around him, he can definitely win some championships.

Don't get me wrong, I love BenJarvus Green-Ellis and the things he was able to accomplish last year (becoming the team's first 1,000 rusher since Corey Dillon in 2003) but I don't think he will cut it for our future. Green-Ellis will still be our starting back while we groom Ingram for that spot in a few years. Think of it in terms of this: If we have one of the best rushing offenses over the next couple years, that only makes MVP Tom Brady more dangerous. If teams respect our run game, guess what opens up? The passing game or one of my favorite plays...... play-action. Our play-action would be deadly if our running game was on point and if we get a deep threat *cough Larry Fitzgerald cough*, watch out.