NFL Draft: Bengals Take Ohio State’s Reid Fragel
By Jason Marcum
Nov 17, 2012; Madison, WI, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes offensive lineman Reid Fragel (77) during the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Ohio State defeated Wisconsin 21-14 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
With the 240th pick of the 2013 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals selected offensive tackle Reid Fragel out of Ohio State. After being projected as high as the third-round, to get Fragel at this point is a huge steal, and should challenge Anthony Collins and Dennis Rolland for a backup tackle spot. NFL.com gave him a 2nd-3rd round grade, and the majority of scouting services gave him a 3rd-4th round grade.
OSU coach Kerry Coombs on #Bengals 7th rd pick Reid Fragel: "A dynamic developmental athlete that will prosper in the NFL. He's a steal!"
— Dan Hoard (@Dan_Hoard) April 27, 2013
: Fragel is the 17th Buckeye drafted by the Bengals and the first OSU offensive lineman to Cincy since Scott Dannelley in 1976.
— Joe Reedy (@joereedy) April 27, 2013
"STRENGTHSTall, long lineman who has maintained his athleticism despite adding strength throughout his frame-and he still has room to grow in the upper and lower bodies. Doesn’t play like the typical former tight end, gets after defensive ends on the outside and can move tackles off the line in the run game with leverage and strong legs. Attacks ends in pass protection, rides them around the pocket. Flashes lateral movement and quick steps to cut off the edge (on twists, as well), mirror spin moves, or cut off the inside lane. Quick enough off the snap to reach block tackles or take linebackers out of the hole so running backs can cut back. Uses athleticism to take an end around the edge and then quickly get downfield to block on draw plays. Picks up interior blitzers instead of being taken outside by the end. Widens his base in pass protection to prevent getting bulled. Plays with attitude, will extend at the end of plays to finish when in position. Shows some recovery speed if taking a wrong step off the snap, should only improve there because of his athleticism. Attacks the inside shoulder in the running game to automatically put his body in the correct position. Shoulders are over toes when asked to immediately get to the second level. Continues to fight even if put in an awkward, losing position.WEAKNESSESStill learning the position, and how to play with additional weight, because of his late switch to the offensive line. Needs to hit his hands inside more consistently to control his target off the snap. Strength is lacking in his grip, can occasionally be thrown around or lunge forward because of it. Overaggressive at times in both pass pro and on run blocks, opponents take advantage of his leaning to push him upfield or get him off-balance. Will stop his feet at times while the play continues, allowing his man to get into plays if they are extended. Inconsistent getting down quickly on his cut blocks, though opponents find it hard to get around them. Must consistently move his feet after latching onto his opponent to prevent getting shed.NFL COMPARISONEric WinstonBOTTOM LINEThe tight end to offensive tackle conversion is a transition NFL evaluators have started to covet, and Fragel fits the. Despite possessing a Matt Kalil-type frame, Fragel started all 12 games in his final seasonon the right side and showed very little trouble anchoring against stronger pass rushers. His experience is limited on the left side, but Fragel could be groomed to block on the blind side or make a career on the right side after adding weight. Though he’s obviously still learning the position, NFL teams consider him a potential starter at the next level because of his overall athleticism and upside."
Want more Bengals news? Like Stripe Hype on Facebook, or grab our RSS feed.