New England Patriots receive high grades in 2018 NFL Draft first round
Detroit Lions No. 20: Arkansas C, Frank Ragnow
The Detroit Lions came into the draft without a full offensive line. They needed help on the interior of the offensive line after last season’s starter, Travis Swanson, signed with the New York Jets.
With the 20th pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Lions did just that, selecting Arkansas center, Frank Ragnow. There were some rumors that the Lions were going to move Graham Glasgow from guard to center, but that no longer needs to happen. However, if Detroit wants to move Glasgow, Ragnow can move to guard. He has experience playing both spots in college.
Detroit’s offensive line struggled last season. They had the worst rushing offense in the NFL and struggled to protect Matthew Stafford, giving up 47 sacks on the season. Ragnow should help improve both of those numbers right off the bat, as he should be a starter from Day 1 at either center or guard.
With this year’s class being short on offensive lineman, it was smart for Detroit to land one early. This wasn’t much of a reach, as Ragnow was quickly moving up draft boards. This is a selection that will help Detroit immediately and in the future.