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Cleveland Browns draft profile: Reggie Ragland

By Thomas Moore

Jan 1, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Reggie Ragland (19) hits Ohio State Buckeyes running back Jalin Marshall (17) knocking his helmet off during the third quarter in the 2015 Sugar Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Reggie Ragland (19) hits Ohio State Buckeyes running back Jalin Marshall (17) knocking his helmet off during the third quarter in the 2015 Sugar Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 5, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Florida Gators quarterback Treon Harris (3) runs the ball as Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Reggie Ragland (19) pursues him during the second quarter of the 2015 SEC Championship Game at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 5, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Florida Gators quarterback Treon Harris (3) runs the ball as Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Reggie Ragland (19) pursues him during the second quarter of the 2015 SEC Championship Game at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /

Do the Browns need help stopping the run? Yes! Does Reggie Ragland know how to stop the run? Yes! So, clearly he would be a nice addition to the middle of the defense.

As NFL.com put it, Ragland is a:

"Thumping inside linebacker with throwback size and tone­setting mentality. Ragland is a confident and capable early starter in league who has the temperament to become one of the premier run­-stopping inside linebackers in the pro game. Ragland has some coverage and speed limitations, but his instincts and overall awareness should be able to mask those issues."

Or how about this from Yahoo Sports:

"Thick, hard-hitting, instinctive inside linebacker with enough versatility to handle multiple spots in different schemes. Ragland comes from a program that is run like an NFL team and an institution that has sent almost two dozen defenders and a bunch of linebackers to the league the past five years. He might have a bit of work to absorb an NFL-thick playbook, according to people who have spoken to the coaching staff about Ragland. But he will bring a toughness, both mental and physical, to the position immediately."

And this from NFL Network’s Mike Mayock:

"“A lot of the league has fallen in love with some of the undersized faster linebackers, but there’s always a place for a 247-pound guy that comes down hill like that.”"

OK, you get the picture. So what’s the hang up?

Ragland is the only inside linebacker that will probably go in the first round, which presents a problem for the Browns. There is no way the team can afford to use the No. 2 pick on an inside linebacker, no matter how much he may fill a major need.

But if the Browns are feeling particularly feisty after selecting Cal’s Jared Goff or North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz in the first round, they could look to use some of their remaining nine draft picks to move back into the first round and select Ragland. A play like that would mimic what the Oakland Raiders did in 2014, when they nabbed linebacker Khalil Mack and quarterback Derek Carr with their first two picks and, in the process, accelerated their own rebuilding project.

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