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2016 NFL Draft Profile: Reggie Ragland, LB Alabama

By Adam Carlson

Oct 17, 2015; College Station, TX, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Reggie Ragland (19) reacts after a play during the third quarter against the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field. The Crimson Tide defeated the Aggies 41-23. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 17, 2015; College Station, TX, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Reggie Ragland (19) reacts after a play during the third quarter against the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field. The Crimson Tide defeated the Aggies 41-23. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /
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Tough Alabama linebacker Reggie Ragland should get a lot of attention at the 2016 NFL Draft, but will his talent draw the eye of the Minnesota Vikings?

For a while, Alabama was known as a factory for creating some of the best defensive draft prospects for the NFL. With the recent success of C.J. Mosely for the Baltimore Ravens, eyes have now turned to middle linebacker Reggie Ragland.

When you watch the tape on Ragland, you instantly get reminded of the tough, thumping linebackers of just a few years ago. While he isn’t speedy and won’t be great in coverage a lot of the time, when asked to play the run or go after the quarterback, he excels.

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His skill set makes him an ideal middle linebacker in a 3-4 defense, but could also struggle there when taking poor angles or getting hung up on excellent blockers. Still, his instincts and aggression make him an interesting target for any team looking to get a strong, tough linebacker to help a fast defense be stronger.

Here are Reggie Ragland’s statistics from the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine according to NFL.com:

Dec 31, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Reggie Ragland (19) during the game against the Michigan State Spartans in the 2015 Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Reggie Ragland (19) during the game against the Michigan State Spartans in the 2015 Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

Height:  6’1″

  • Weight:  247 pounds
  • Arm Length:  32″
  • Hand Size:  9 7/8″
  • 40 Yard Dash:  4.72 seconds
  • Weightlifting:  N/A
  • Vertical Jump:  31.5″
  • Broad Jump:  116″
  • 3 Cone Drill:  N/A
  • 20 Yard Shuttle:  4.28 seconds

    • Reggie Ragland compares to:

    • CBS Sports:  -no comparison-
    • NFL.com:  E.J. Henderson, retired

    Fit for the Minnesota Vikings:

    Minnesota has already said they’ll be looking for linebackers in the 2016 NFL Draft, whether it be for the inside or outside. Ragland could be an interesting player for Minnesota, as they could use him in ideal situations and have talented players to help cover his deficiencies.

    Next: 5 moves the Vikings should make in free agency

    My Take:

    I like old school football, but I worry that the days of having a 2 down linebacker in the NFL is over. The biggest concern is that he will have to be taken off the field on passing downs, and using a first round pick on a player like that doesn’t make sense to me. However, if the Minnesota Vikings do select him, Zimmer will be able to get the most out of him by rotating players and playing him situationally.

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