We’re sure the Green Bay Packers would love an opportunity to draft Alabama inside linebacker Reggie Ragland. We know Ragland, who grew up a Packers fan, would like to be drafted by the Packers.
With Clay Matthews moving back to outside linebacker in 2016, the Packers have a need on the inside again. Yes, Jake Ryan will be entering his second season and Sam Barrington will be returning from injury, but neither player has as much potential as Ragland.
Ragland is projected as a first-round pick and is arguably the top inside linebacker in the 2016 draft. The Packers reportedly had a long talk with him at the Senior Bowl.
“I did meet with them, and they talked to me about that they needed a linebacker on the inside,” Ragland said. “And if they had the opportunity, I think they would. But I’m not sure. It all depends when draft day comes.
“But they said they really need an inside linebacker, so they can move Clay (Matthews) back on the outside. If they get me, it would be a blessing in disguise because Green Bay’s always been one of my favorite teams growing up as a kid.”
We’re sure most everyone would be onboard with that scenario. Everyone except perhaps one of the 26 teams picking ahead of the Packers.
NFL Network has Ragland projected as a top-20 pick, which makes it possible — if the Packers really do covet him — that they’d have to trade up to get him.
“It would mean a lot to me that I came out there and I worked hard through the process that they really wanted me that bad to trade up for me,” said Ragland. “That means I really got to come in, whoever it is. If that happens, whoever it is, I’ve got to come out there and just play hard and prove to them I that they made the right decision by trading up to get me.”
Packers general manager Ted Thompson has only traded up once in the first round. It was in 2009, when he added a second first-round pick to select Clay Matthews at No. 26.
Of course, sometimes things just work out.
Another Alabama guy — safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix — wasn’t supposed to be available at No. 21 in 2014. Thanks to the New York Jets’ folly of taking Louisville safety Calvin Pryor at No. 18, there sat the highest-rated safety in the draft for the safety-starved Packers to pluck.
Could lightning strike twice?
After an up and down rookie year, Calvin Pryor ended up playing well for the Jets in his Sophomore campaign. I still say either (Clinton Dix or Pryor) one would have been an upgrade over what we had at the time.
Aren’t Alabama LBs usually very hit or miss? Still rather select the best TE in the draft (Henry) if both are there to choose from. We need veterans to come in and help our defense. Rooks take too long to develop the mental parts of the game. Unless of course, they’re rare talents like a Luke Kuechly.
Clinton-Dix is the truth… Better than Pryor in everything except hit power ha. There really isn’t much of a bust potential when you are picking a Saban coached defensive player. This could be the pick that we need to solidify our defense.
Would love to have him but probably have to trade up to get him. He won’t be around at #27.
Would love to have him, but drafting late in rounds is discouraging. To swap into the top 20 would require giving up 3rd,4th, and 5th round picks per the draft value chart. Since Pack should get two good compensatory picks for House and Williams the 2016 draft class wouldn’t be gutted. Net loss would be one guy….I’d make that move to solve ILB problem. I like moving up for superior talent if you have extra picks to play with.
Draft him or Hunter Henry.
Get Trevathan in Free Agency, maybe a TE too. Then we can go BPA in the first round of the draft.
For the Packers to move up seven spots would not require four picks to do it. Swap first round picks and give a 3rd and 6th. Maybe a 5th rounder but three picks should do it.