ALLEN PARK — After his third day of Detroit Lions’ organized team activities this week, rookie Frank Ragnow was a new-found appreciation for the NFL.
Ragnow, the first-round pick out of Arkansas, clearly sees the differences between college and the NFL.
“It’s way different. I have a lot of respect for the NFL, it’s a whole different speed and these are a lot of talented guys out here, all the way, four-deep everybody is really talented,’’ Ragnow said after Thursday’s session. “It’s been an adjustment but it’s been fun to get to work and learn every day.’’
Four things to know about Ragnow after three days of OTAs:
1. Ragnow lined up at left guard throughout the two-hour workout. When he was drafted it was unclear if he’d play left guard or center and it’s still too early to know. Coach Matt Patricia said on Thursday that no decisions have been made on positions and, in fact, several guys would line up at different positions, maybe even some they haven’t played before.
2. Ragnow said he has no preference on guard or center. “Just want to be out there helping the team. I played a lot of positions in high school, played a lot of positions in college,’’ Ragnow said. “I just like playing football. Wherever they put me I’ll be happy to be there.’’ He said he played about the same amount of snaps at guard and center at Arkansas.
3. Patricia’s early impressions of Ragnow: “I think he’s done a great job. He comes and he works extremely hard, as have all the rookies that have been in here and that’s out on the field together. It’s really, you know what’s good, when you see and go out in practice and you don’t particularly notice that there’s a guy that is wither a young player or not. He just kind of fits in with the group and fits in and plays, and you’re not really looking at it and saying, ‘That’s out of place’, like it looks like it’s out of place. I haven’t noticed that at all.” And, that’s a good thing.
4. Veteran guard T. J. Lang and guard/center Graham Glasgow, who is entering his third season, have been a help to Ragnow. “They’ve been incredible, both of them have been really incredible really helpful and have given me a lot of tips day to day,’’ Ragnow said. “It’s been a real blessing to have both of them in the room.’’ Glasgow lined up at center on Thursday.
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