Ranking the Detroit Lions' last 10 first-round picks

Let's go ahead and rank the last 10 first-round picks for the Detroit Lions.
Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 6
Next

4. OT Taylor Decker, OT, Ohio State: No. 16 overall, 2016

Decker was Quinn's first first-round pick as Lions' general manager. Now he's the longest-tenured Lion, and he wants to be a Lion for his entire career.

Decker has been everything you'd envision a first-round pick left tackle should be; reliably good, a team leader, tough etc., even without the league-wide accolades maybe he should have some of (zero career Pro Bowl or All-Pro team selections).

Decker has been through it all over his time in Detroit, making the playoffs as a rookie and going through the complete downturn before the rise back up over the last couple seasons. If it's wrong to put him here, above Gibbs, so be it.

3. Frank Ragnow, C, Arkansas: No. 20 overall, 2018

Despite adding a list of injuries that would fill a game of "Operation" to an ongoing toe issue, Ragnow was Pro Football Focus' top-graded center (88.8, also No. 1 run blocking grade-91.3) last season as he also earned his third career Pro Bowl selection.

That litany of injuries invited retirement speculation around Ragnow, and his career stands to be shorter than it might have otherwise been. But he put that idea to bed pretty immediately this offseason. Whether he keeps playing beyond the 2024 season is a viable question, and the Lions might be smart to plan for that future without Ragnow sooner rather than later.

Even as limited as he was physically last season, Ragnow is one of the best centers in the NFL-and possibly the best now that Jason Kelce has retired. The literal center of one of the league's best offensive lines was almost higher on this list.