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Gil Brandt: Ragland Will Improve the Bills' D by Seven PPG


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I won't comment on any specific poster as I hate the non-stop back and forth banter as there were a few questioning Gil Brandt's ability to pick talent.

 

This man is going to go into the HOF one of the upcoming years for how he helped revolutionize the way front offices evaluated talent, being a pioneer in data analytics in the 1960's. Just because a man is older does not mean he is past knowing football. He has been to every draft since 1956. He was a GM on a perennial. SB team, and managed the Cowboys for over 25 years.

 

I listen to him regularly and he is on point so much of the time. He sometimes can be too complimentary, but it's not over the top, and can be critical of teams that make poor decisions.

 

Was he a little over the top in the prediction, maybe, but how many times is Kiper, Gruden, and so many other analysts over the top with predictions and evaluations.

 

I'll agree with the Godfather ( Brandt ) Ragland will probably be an impact player barring injury for a long time on the Bills. We'll find out this summer if he can cover TE's.

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Guest K-GunJimKelly12

As someone who listens to Sirius NFL constantly, I couldn't disagree more.

 

Yes, he's old (and yeah, he sounds it), but the guy still knows way more about football than most have forgotten! Gil's ability to pull out a random college players name at any spot always blows my mind!

 

 

Obviously I'm not sure he's in the ballpark on this prediction, but one thing Brandt knows is football players!

I agree as well, I listen to a lot of Sirius NFL and he is still with it. Also I wonder how many posters on here determine that he can't cover by simply looking at his 40 time rather than watching him play. He 40 time isn't all that bad for a MLB anyways.

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I think Ragland will be a terrific player but I don't think he has enough sand in the pants to make a 7 ppg difference. Hell, I'm not even sure there's enough sand out there to fill pants big enough to make a 7 ppg difference.

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Looking at last years schedule and scores, seven fewer PPG would have gotten us two more wins and an OT game last season. Considering it would have swung one of the AFC games (Jags), and put the Pats* game up in the air, that's probably playoffs.

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I agree as well, I listen to a lot of Sirius NFL and he is still with it. Also I wonder how many posters on here determine that he can't cover by simply looking at his 40 time rather than watching him play. He 40 time isn't all that bad for a MLB anyways.

I dunno... 14th best just in this years LB class. He's slow. Not spikes slow, but Preston brown slow ish... Maybe he's instinctive and plays faster

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Well Vegas gives virtually no points per game for almost any player other than a QB. The rest are interchangable parts including the great ones. I think Watt moved the spread 1 or two points. No way a rookie LB has a 7 point effect on a game.

I'm just hoping for a solid upgrade over Brown and Bradham.

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We went from 54 sacks to 21 in Rex's first year. I'm a strictly wait and see method with Rex.

Wait and see something better, I hope! That was inexcusable. Let the men win their battles!

 

(Wonder what Vegas would have as the odds for Roman being the Bills head coach within 24 months? Sorry, I digress.)

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I don't doubt it for a second....

 

If Brandt had ended his quote with "at least" he still wouldn't have been out of line.

 

Ragland is an absolute hammer... I'm a Cardale fan, and RAGLAND is my favorite pick of this draft!

 

YESSSS! -This D just got some oompf!

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I'm not believing anybody that things Ragland improves the defense by 7 PPG. That's crazy talk.

 

He's not good in coverage. He has a chance to play some there though. It isn't his strength. Preston Brown isn't too good in coverage either. That will be where the Bills need Zach Brown to help out.

 

The 7 PpG prediction says a lot more about Brandt than Ragland.

 

As far as actual player assessment the key seems to me is a rather obvious understanding that yes Ragland does not have the speed to be great in coverage, but looking at the stats, the things he does well (great tackler, excellent instincts, and recognized leadership of a great D), this SEC player of the year is not a great cover guy but is a good one.

 

When one adds in the fact his pass rush ability will make him valuable on 3rd down (the folks who have labeled him a 2 down back look fairly foolish), and that he is slated as our Will LB rather than the Sam LB with TE pass coverage primary duty or the Mike LB with crossing pattern duty, it's quite easy to see why the Bills would not have been displeased if Lawson had not slipped to become their pick-up with pick # 19.

 

As long as the docs prove to be right about the enlarged aorta issue, the Bills braintrust also scored big getting this 1st round level talent with a 2nd round pic.

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I think Preston Brown will be the odd man out in passing situations and Ragland will stay on the field or they may even rotate the two. I don't think they take Reggie off the field too much this year unless they absolutely have to, just my 2.

remember rookies hit the wall in the 2nd half of the season

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