Whenever I see power rankings, position rankings and things of that nature, I always take it with a grain of salt. Not everyone is going to agree with those lists or rankings and more often than not, everyone tends to be a little different with how they rank a team or a player.
That said, the NFL and the players that vote on the NFL Top-100 players got it wrong by not having Frank Ragnow on their list this year. As of now, the top 10 is still set to be revealed, but the way it sits, there are only two interior offensive linemen in the top 100.
I’d be curious what the criteria is to make the NFL Top-100. Is it data and analytical rankings from sites such as Pro Football Focus (PFF)? Or is it based off the number of games played? Could these rankings be strictly based off the film?
There's SO MUCH to like with this run from the Lions vs. Chargers game last season.
– C 77 Frank Ragnow does a great job picking up the ILB off the combo block.
– RG 60 Graham Glasgow sits and shows off good grip strength.
– RT 58 Penei Sewell using the inside hand on Joey… pic.twitter.com/dvecZrYkAx
— Russell Brown (@RussNFLDraft) June 12, 2024
Whatever the case may be, Ragnow is better than just about everyone at his position. Especially now that Eagles’ longtime center Jason Kelce retired. But when you look at the PFF grades for centers in the NFL, Ragnow led the way in 2023 with an 88.1 overall grade.
If you go to the film, you can see multiple reps on every single drive where Ragnow just dominates the opposition. Whether it’s physically driving defenders into the dirt or just having proper positioning to climb the second level and seal off linebackers and safeties.
Penei Sewell on the pull + Graham Glasgow not stopping his feet on contact + Frank Ragnow locking onto the backside LB with strong hands = life is easy for Jahmyr Gibbs #OnePride pic.twitter.com/3ksEz8Pwt8
— Russell Brown (@RussNFLDraft) June 6, 2024
Look at the play above where Ragnow gets up to the second level and clamps onto a linebacker with ease. He stays square, keeps his hands tight and inside and then he shows off his grip strength by being able to steer and drive the defender. The defenders in the NFL would be lying if they said there’s no game plan or preparation needed for Ragnow.
Meanwhile, he’s tough as nails. During the Lions playoff game against the Buccaneers in 2023, Ragnow suffered a sprained knee and ankle in that game. While he missed a few plays to get checked out by trainers, he came back in and finished the game. In fact, he made one of the key blocks from his knees on Vita Vea during a 4th and 1 run play from the Bucs half-yard line. This block helped keep running back Craig Reynolds clean long enough to enter the end zone for a touchdown.
You can call me biased or a fanboy, but the fact remains that Frank Ragnow should be rated as one of the top 100 players in the NFL. Certainly, the list means nothing to Ragnow but he should still be given a tip of the hat by his peers and by the league for his toughness and dominance at his position. If he can stay healthy, I’d expect that same dominance from the Lions 7-year veteran.
