The Lions kicked off rookie minicamp this past weekend, and one of the early standouts was second-round pick Tate Ratledge. The former Georgia Bulldog is known for his time at right guard, but Detroit wasted no time testing his versatility—lining him up at center during the team’s first practices.
General manager Brad Holmes had hinted after the draft that Ratledge might get some work at center, and now it’s official. Though he’s not a threat to replace Pro Bowl anchor Frank Ragnow anytime soon, Ratledge could push to become the top backup—potentially displacing veteran Graham Glasgow in the process.
Ratledge took his first NFL snaps at center during Friday’s session at the Meijer Performance Center. According to Lions Wire’s Jeff Risdon, the early returns were promising. His snaps were clean, though he sometimes came out of his stance too high in run-blocking situations—a minor technical issue that can be cleaned up.
The rookie acknowledged the challenges of playing center, saying, “You have to say a lot more. You have to know the safety rotations and stuff like that. At guard, most of the time you’re listening for the center to tell you where to go. At center, you’re telling everyone else where to go.”
Ratledge still has his eyes set on cracking the starting lineup at guard, but if he can hold his own at center too, the Lions might have landed yet another gem for their offensive line. And with a strong training camp, he could force Detroit to make some tough decisions about who stays in the rotation.
Lions Rookie Tate Ratledge Turning Heads, Could Shake Up O-Line Depth Chart
