Alex Reno

Special to the Detroit Free Press

If the 2016 NFL Draft was any indication of what Bob Quinn wanted to accomplish during his first year as Detroit Lions general manager, then we learned one thing: He wants the team to be bigger and stronger in the trenches.

Well, you don’t get much bigger and stronger at the center position than Detroit’s third-round pick, former Michigan guard/center Graham Glasgow.

At 6 feet 6 and 307 pounds, Glasgow enters the NFL as one of the tallest centers in the game. His 33 5/8 inch arms and 10 3/4 inch hands rank in the 83rd and 97th percentiles respectively among all centers.

After a disappointing 2015 campaign from starting center Travis Swanson, it was clear the Lions needed to go out and add someone who could push Swanson and challenge him for the starting role. Glasgow will at the very least provide insurance along the interior, but he may end up starting sooner rather than later.

Let’s take a closer look at Glasgow’s game film from Michigan.

Versatility

Quinn has stressed versatility is key, and he wants players that can play multiple positions at an effective level. If you consider that, it’s no wonder the Lions' brass was so high on the Michigan senior. Glasgow has experience across the interior, starting at both guard and center for the Wolverines.

Focus on the left guard in this play (No. 61): That’s Glasgow. The Michigan State Spartans run a tackle-tackle stunt up the middle to try and create pressure, but Glasgow is fully aware. He uses his strong hands to chuck the first defender to the side -- right into his teammate -- and keeps his head on a swivel to locate the twisting D-lineman.

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The play ultimately results in a near sack, but there is nothing Glasgow could have done better. He exhibits great awareness in pass protection, as well as the ability to play more than just center.

Here is another example where Glasgow gets the job done at guard, this time, in the run game.

Glasgow’s strength is one element to his game that often gets overlooked. He has shown he is capable of moving defenders off the line of scrimmage and away from the play, which is exactly what he does in the play above. Glasgow is extra physical at the point of attack and displays the tenacity to finish his blocks and play through the whistle.

Not quite ready

With Swanson struggling last year, and the Lions selecting Glasgow in the early rounds, many are quick to write off Swanson and already label Glasgow as the starting center heading into Week 1. I think the expectations need to be tempered. Glasgow is a wonderful talent that has a great chance at winning a starting job in the future, but he’s not a finished product yet.

For starters, like all towering offensive lineman, Glasgow struggles to stay low and gain leverage at the point of attack, allowing defenders to dip underneath his pads and overpower him.

Glasgow’s height is a blessing as well as a curse. This is a designed three-step dropback for quarterback Jake Rudock, yet Maryland’s nose tackle plows through Glasgow and is nearly able to disrupt the play. Glasgow’s inability to stay low often cancels out his upper body strength. He’s not going to get as lucky in the pros and win on raw strength alone, but it also doesn’t help that his hand placement can be disastrous.

Here is another example of Glasgow’s inconsistent hands. Instead of getting his hands inside of the defender, Glasgow places his right hand on the outside shoulder of the defender and right there, the battle is immediately lost. I noticed this often with Glasgow. He allows defenders to engage first and his hands get too wide. It’s a fixable problem, but one that may impede his chances of winning a starting role right away.

Second level struggles

Glasgow is a solid athlete that tested well at the NFL Combine, but it doesn’t always show on tape, especially when he’s asked to carry out blocks into the second level. Glasgow is not what I consider a “quick-twitch” athlete and struggles to engage with moving targets.

Outlook for 2016

Selecting Glasgow in the third round was a solid and necessary move for Quinn and the Lions. Glasgow gives them insurance on the interior because he can play guard or center, but he can also challenge Swanson for a starting role. However, I believe that fans will have to temper their expectations, as Glasgow is still fairly raw as a prospect and likely won’t start over Swanson (barring any injuries) to open the season.

Still, it’s obvious what the Lions were trying to accomplish in the early rounds of the draft. Taylor Decker, A’Shawn Robinson and Glasgow are all enormous athletes and bring a mean streak to the Lions’ trenches. While Glasgow has his work cut out for him early, his upside is through the roof and I can see him blossoming into a reliable starter and a leader on offense down the road.

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Alex Reno is a staff writer for SB Nation's Detroit Lions blog: Pride of Detroit. He has been studying and writing about the NFL draft since 2013.