The 2011 NFL Draft saw yet another trade Thursday night when the New Orleans Saints made a deal with the New England Patriots to grab Heisman-winning running back Mark Ingram with the 28th overall pick. The Saints had a lot to give up in trade, trading the Patriots this year’s second-rounder and next year’s first round pick for the privilege of taking the top running back in the draft.
The player the Saints get doesn’t have any one spectacular physical tool, but NFL scouts love his well-roundedness and his exceptional play in college. Advanced statistical analysis is more skeptical, both of his future and the position’s worth in the current NFL.
The Saints have a deep backfield already, but this could mean the end of the New Orleans road for one of Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas, and Chris Ivory. That’ll be an interesting storyline once teams are actually allowed to trade players…
For a full recap of the 2011 NFL Draft to date, follow along here at SB Nation St. Louis, and for more draft coverage check out SB Nation’s NFL Draft hub.