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Bills GM: We got a steal with Ragland, he’ll start immediately
By Andrew Olson
Published:
The Buffalo Bills feel that they got a first-round talent in Alabama LB Reggie Ragland, who went in second round with pick No. 41.
Bills GM Doug Whaley was recently on the NFL Network show “NFL Total Access” to discuss the team’s draft, and how the team lucked into getting Ragland in the second round.
Clemson DE Shaq Lawson was widely seen as a top-10 pick, but was still on the board when the Bills picked at No. 19. According to Whaley, that pick was originally supposed to be Ragland.
Whaley on Reggie Ragland: "We thought he would be our pick at 19 so we never dreamed we would be able to get him and Shaq Lawson."
— NFL Media (@NFLMedia) May 11, 2016
Whaley on 2016 draft: "For us to script the draft, this was even better than any movie script we would have come up for."
— NFL Media (@NFLMedia) May 11, 2016
Whaley also predicted that Ragland would be a Week 1 starter in Buffalo.
Whaley: "Shaq Lawson is going to walk in off the bus starting. Reggie Ragland & Adolphus Washington – all 3 will start right off the bus."
— NFL Media (@NFLMedia) May 11, 2016
Whaley particularly likes Ragland’s hard-nosed approach and physical play.
“We want anybody that comes in to play the Buffalo Bills know that they’re going to have to strap that chinstrap up a little tighter and they’re going to know they’re going to be in a fight. That’s what he brings, physicality,” Whaley said on the show.
The Bills also hope that Ragland’s winning ways will rub off on his new team.
“And then you add to the fact that the defense he ran in college is very, very similar to the defense we’re going to be running this year,” Whaley said. “So all of that and then the combination of him coming from a winning program. All of those qualities just made us feel like this is the type of guy we want on our team.
Ragland was one of seven Alabama players selected in the ’16 draft, five of whom were picked in the second round.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
