Reggie Ragland Will Be A Steal For Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills moved up in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft with one goal. They wanted to land a quality linebacker to shore up one of their major weaknesses on the defensive side. The team was able to do just that, as they landed Alabama star Reggie Ragland to man the middle of their defense. Ragland is going to be a terrific player for the Bills and he should be an immediate starter for the team.

Ragland was a great player during his final season at Alabama. He was the leader of the College Football Championship winning defense and he totaled over 100 tackles on the season. Ragland was a tone setter who performed well in every facet of the game, and he is going to turn into a solid pro thanks to his demeanor.

Sadly, Ragland got a red flag during final medical checks due to a slightly enlarged aorta. This caused Ragland to slip in the draft, and he ultimately went 20 picks later than he should have. In fact, I had the Bills taking him 19th overall in my final mock draft, so getting him here was a steal.

Speaking of the Bills, they really needed some linebacker help. They lost Nigel Bradham to the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency while Preston Brown struggled playing in Rex Ryan‘s scheme. Ryan needed a linebacker that could come in and play a major role in his defense, and Ragland is going to be just that. He and fellow rookie Shaq Lawson will be starters from day one and the defense is going to be much better thanks to them.

Also, the Bills did not really give up too much to go up and get Ragland. They gave up a second- and fourth-rounder this year and a future fourth-round pick. To get a player who normally would have been a first-rounder, that is well worth the price tag. The move just made sense for the Bills, and it will benefit the team right away.