2011 NFL Draft rumors: St. Louis Rams predicted to pick Mark Ingram...maybe

2011 NFL Draft rumors are flying. It's hard to get a handle on it all given how much information is out there right now. The latest word for the St. Louis Rams is that Alabama RB Mark Ingram could be their first round pick.

Evan Silva from Rotoworld cites a source today that says the Rams' first round pick will come down to Ingram or Illinois DT Corey Liuget. Either way, the Rams will pick up a running back in the first two rounds of the draft. This, of course, assumes that Julio Jones is off the board when the Rams pick at #14.

If they pass on Ingram in the first round, it makes me wonder if they won't try and trade up to get their guy in the second, either Illinois RB Mikel Leshoure or Virginia Tech's Ryan Williams. Both of those players could easily be drafted before it snakes around to St. Louis' pick in the 15th spot in the second round.

Personally, I'd rather them wait to take a RB in the second, or later, but I don't set the draft board. I want to think this is a smoke screen, but talk that the Rams think highly of Ingram is not new. Jim Thomas from the Post-Dispatch was dropping that possibility in his chats with readers last month. Rick Gosselin's mock draft predicted the Rams taking Ingram, and he has a reputation for being notoriously prescient.

Even if it's not a smoke screen, as more talk builds of the Rams taking Ingram at #14, it might be enough to entice teams into a trade, if a team has the Alabama RB ranked highly.

Don't forget, there's even more talk about the Patriots trading up to try and nab Julio Jones or another player, like Robert Quinn, and now there's talk that the Falcons would like to trade up for Green or Jones, possibly to #6.

It's going to be a wild, wild night.

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