Every so often a player comes along who could have played a few decades ago, old school as it were; that guy is former Bama backer Reggie Ragland. His physical, no-nonsense style translates to the modern-day smash mouth defense that the Ryan brother like to run. I reviewed his 2015 performances against Wisconsin, Georgia, Texas A&M, Clemson, and his Senior Bowl game and practices to get a better understanding of the skill set this young backer will bring to the Bills. This is what I saw: LB – Reggie Ragland, Buffalo formerly Alabama 6′ 1″ 247 lbs. Cons: Although, the former Crimson Tide member varied where he lined up, this defender is an inside backer in the NFL. He is not a fluid athlete and possesses limited quickness and speed. Ragland, at times, has a bad habit of trying to take on multiple blockers and will get overpowered, instead of taking a more direct angle. The backer is more of a true thumper at heart and will struggle if forced into man to man coverage. This is because he is clunky, mirroring looser hipped play makers. As it stands today, I have my doubts Ragland will be a three down linebacker, but you never know with those wiley Ryans’ in charge. Pros: Despite some limitations, the backer is quite athletic with great balance. He sees the entire field well and is very instinctive with amazing football intelligence. Ragland steps up to take on blockers and can quickly disengage them with a strong, powerful punch, then flows to the ball carrier. The
