INDIANAPOLIS - The Patriots used a sixth-round pick on Hawaii long snapper Jake Ingram back in 2009. Four years later, New England and the rest of the NFL has a chance to add another member of the famous snapping Ingram family.
Luke Ingram, also out of Hawaii, is the only long snapper who was invited to this year's Combine. After walking on at the school as a defensive end, the younger Ingram took to long snapping to help improve his status on the team. A year later he earned a scholarship for his skill, and now has a chance to follow his brother to the NFL.
"We kind of taught each other, we both kind of learned at the same time," Luke Ingram said of the unique family skill. "Jake walked on to UH and played outside linebacker. The long snapper at the time broke his hand. Jake jumped out of stretching one day to learn how to snap because he didn't want to stretch. Meanwhile I was a freshman in high school. We kind of picked it up at the same time to tell you the truth. We kind of taught each other. We gave each other a lot of tips throughout our years of snapping. But he's definitely been a bit influential part of my career."
Jake Ingram lasted a year and a half in New England, and is currently a free agent having bounced around to a handful teams after being cut by the Patriots. Watching what his brother went through, Luke Ingram is well aware of the unique and tenuous nature that is life as an NFL long snapper.
"You mentally prepare yourself," said of the tough reality of the job. "It's not just one game or one practice. Being a long snapper is the difference of one play. There definitely is no chance at redemption. But that's just kind of what you go into when you accept a job being a long snapper. It kind of just comes with it. There is not much glory. But hey, it's a job and you get paid for it. You still help your team win. I think it's a great position. If you can play 10 years and nobody knows your name you know you did your job. That's how long snapping is and that's hopefully what I'll be able to do."
In fact the younger Ingram, who said he's already met with the Patriots among a handful of other teams, says the pressure of the long snapping job is what he likes most about it.
"I kind of think that's one of those things that kept me in the job. You only getting six plays or so a game. I don't find that feeling anywhere else, kind of that adrenaline and pressure, which I enjoy."
