One of the most versatile players in the draft class, Melvin Ingram saw time at defensive end, outside linebacker and defensive tackle in college, a role he could revise in the NFL depending where he lands, although he may be best suited in a 3-4 playing OLB. He did have injury issues in college that saw him red shirted in 2008 (broken foot) and then he played through a broken hand in 2010. The biggest knock against Ingram seems to be his “lack of length”, which is scout-speak for not being tall enough and having short arms. Despite that he racked up 21 sacks and 30.5 tackles for loss for South Carolina and is seen as an explosive and athletic pass-rusher.
As the draft progressed many of the pass-rushers begun to slip. This meant that San Diego, who was crying out for a fresh force on the edge, landed one of the classes' best in Melvin Ingram. Gone are the days of Shawn Merriman, and Shaun Phillips is now getting older and more injury prone, so rather than rely on situation pressure from players like Antwan Barnes, they went out and drafted a more complete package. New defensive coordinator, John Pagano, has been the linebacker coach for the Chargers since 2005 so he certainly knows what makes an effective pass-rushing OLB, which makes him an interesting prospect in big-play scoring systems. It is possible to be a fantasy factor as a rookie too (like Brian Cushing and Clay Matthews), so he could make a nice sleeper.
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