Prior to the NFL draft, the biggest knock on South Carolina defensive end Melvin Ingram was that his arms were too short: His arm length, as measured at the Scouting Combine, was 31.5 inches, and some people questioned whether that would limit him in the NFL.
Ingram, who was selected in the first round by the Chargers, has heard that criticism. And he thinks it’s ridiculous.
“I really don’t care about that stuff,” Ingram said on NFL Network. “I’ve told a lot of people, short arms or long arms don’t make you a football player. If that were the case everybody with long arms would play football. Either you’re a football player or you’re not. Your arm length doesn’t make a difference.”
One of the strengths of Ingram heading into the draft was the view among coaches that he can be a good fit at multiple positions. Ingram said at the first day of the Chargers’ rookie minicamp that he’s already doing that.
“Sam linebacker, defensive end, and other positions,” Ingram said he’s learning in the Chargers’ defense. “I’m just trying to work hard and do whatever my coaches need me to do.”
Short arms won’t hold him back from doing that.