Cornelius Ingram's workout draws oohs, aaahs

Staff writer

Perhaps the former Gator with the most to prove at Florida's Pro Day was Cornelius Ingram.

After sitting out the 2008 BCS championship season with a torn ACL, the Hawthorne native was eager to showcase himself to NFL scouts and coaches Wednesday morning at The Swamp.

The 6-foot-4, 246-pound tight end said he was happy with how he performed.

"I think it went pretty good," said Ingram, who added he feels no residual affects from the injury. "I think I was a lot more relaxed than I was at the Combine. At the same time, I was just focused in and kind of got going early and I felt good throughout the (workout)."

Ingram's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, was in attendance and said the goal for Ingram is simple.

"To be taken on the first day (top two rounds)," said Rosenhaus, who also represents former Gators Fred Taylor, Bobby McCray, Lito Sheppard, Jevon Kearse and Jabar Gaffney. "He is 100-percent healthy. His knee is ready. He's going to show that to everyone.

"And when minicamps and offseason workouts roll around once he's drafted, he'll be able to participate in those without a problem."

Ingram said he selected Rosenhaus in part because of the agent's success convincing NFL teams former Miami tailback Willis McGahee was worth a first-round pick, despite tearing his ACL, PCL and MCL in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl. McGahee's injuries were more severe than Ingram's, who also has had five more months of recovery time than the 2007 Pro Bowl selection.

Nonetheless, McGahee was taken 23rd overall by Buffalo three-and-a-half months after reconstructive surgery.

"(Ingram) is definitely worth taking, and some team is going to be very happy having him," Rosenhaus said. "He's an athlete who can play tight end or at 246 pounds play in the slot or on the outside. There are a lot of different ways he can be productive."

Ingram, who has been working out with trainer Pete Bommarito at Perfect Competition in Davie, said he only ran the 40, did the broad jump and pass routes, where he looked very good and drew oohs and aahs from the crowd after making a difficult catch late. He didn't do, among others, the vertical jump or three-cone drill, opting to keep the leap (33 inches) and time (7.12 seconds) he got at the Indianapolis Combine in January.

NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock ranks Ingram as the No. 3 tight end on his board behind Oklahoma State's Brandon Pettigrew and Southern Mississippi's Shawn Nelson.

"It was good to see him in person," Mayock said. "Obviously, with the knee injury there wasn't any senior tape on him. He ran about what I expected (in the 40), around 4.7. He's not a 4.6 or a 4.55 guy, but he's very fluid.

"And what I like best about him is the athletic ability to get in and out of the breaks and use his hands to catch the ball naturally.

"I was very impressed."

Mayock, a former NFL defensive back, added the next step for teams is to look over Ingram's tape as a junior to see if he can be an effective in-line blocker. From there, they need to decide where Ingram ranks among a close second tier at the position.

"What you have at the tight end position this year, which I think is one of the deepest in the draft, is you've got Brandon Pettigrew from Oklahoma State, whose the best combination blocker and receiver in the draft," Mayock said. "After that, there's four, five, six highly athletic kids like Cornelius Ingram.

"Being a former quarterback, a former basketball player, you can see how athletic he is. That's the new breed of tight end.

"Like I said there are four or five other guys. A couple of them are a little quicker than him in the 40-yard dash, but I love his hands and the way he competes."

Contact John Patton at 374-5074 or at pattonj@gvillesun.com.

Position: TE

Ht/wt: 6-foot-4, 245 pounds

PROS: Extremely athletic player who also had numerous Division I basketball scholarship offers coming out of Hawthorne High School. Ingram might actually be the only athlete in UF history who once had a Gator offer in football and basketball. Began his career as a quarterback but moved to tight end full-time near the conclusion of the 2005 season. He adjusted quickly, catching 30 balls for 380 yards and a touchdown in 2006. He followed that up with 34 receptions for 508 yards and seven touchdowns in 2007. His blocking, while never a strong suit, improved as his career went along. His hands are big (9 3/4 inches) and he rarely dropped passes. Has the size and leaping ability (33-inch vertical leap at the Combine) to be a serious goal-line threat. A great character guy, Ingram will leave UF as one of Urban Meyer's all-time favorite players. Has long arms (34 1/2 inches). Handles press coverage from safeties very well and often is too quick for linebackers. Breaks tackles well. His 4.68 40 at the Combine ranked fourth among all tight ends. Changes direction well, evidenced by his 7.12 time in the 3-cone shuttle at the Combine.

CONS: Missed the 2008 season with a torn ACL, so he hasn't played in a game in more than a year. Could improve his blocking and likely will be asked to add weight to be an NFL tight end. Working a lot out of the slot at UF, Ingram hasn't been asked to line up in a 3-point stance as much as he will be in the NFL.

Draft projection: Third round

- Compiled by John Patton