Rookie Radar: How Tate Ratledge has progressed through four weeks

As a second-round pick out of Georgia, initial expectations for Tate Ratledge centered around his ability to transfer his toughness and advanced technical ability to an already respected offensive line.

Four games into his rookie season, he’s done exactly that -- and more. With four straight starts to open the year, Ratledge has logged 135 pass protection snaps and surrendered just one sack, a testament to both his poise and polish against NFL interior rushers.

For a rookie stepping into a front that prides itself on physicality and execution, Ratledge has blended in like a veteran.

His anchor is as advertised -- stout, balanced, and built to stonewall bull rushers tipping the scales at 315 pounds or more. He’s shown consistent ability to re-set his base when defenders try to collapse the pocket, using outstanding hip depth and strong hands to absorb power without yielding ground.

His footwork, particularly when recovering against counter-moves, has been one of the biggest standouts in his early tape as well.

Ratledge soaring with Lions in Year 1 so far

But Ratledge isn’t just surviving -- he’s thriving, specifically in the run game. Detroit’s ground attack relies on vertical displacement and timing through the interior, and Ratledge has repeatedly shown he can create lanes with force and leverage.

His ability to fire off the ball and climb to the second level without losing his balance adds dimension to the way the Lions attack fronts. When asked to double-team and cave in defensive tackles, he does so with a leg drive that continues through the whistle.

Another impressive trait of Ratledge's has been his ability to communicate up front. Oftentimes a young ballplayer can remain shadowed off or seem unfit to speak up in a room of veterans, yet tape consistently shows his knack of IDing blitzers and communicating protections to players at either shoulder.

Detroit’s front thrives on chemistry, and Ratledge has shown the awareness to pass off stunts, recognize blitz stems, and stay synced with the center and tackle beside him. That kind of cohesion doesn’t always come quickly for interior rookies transitioning from college to the pro game.

His physicality also matches the tone of the Lions’ offensive identity.

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Ratledge consistently finishes blocks with intent and embraces the trench warfare mentality Detroit wants to hang its hat on. He’s comfortable in the mud, but he’s not limited to brute strength -- his hand placement and framing of defenders often win reps before the contact even arrives.

The one sack he’s allowed across his work in pass pro is less a blemish and more an indicator of how efficient he’s been overall. Rookie guards often get exposed by veteran defensive tackles with deep pass-rush toolboxes, yet Ratledge has consistently held his own.

The learning curve is still there, but the floor he’s showing is high enough that the Lions can continue to expand what they ask of him.

As the season progresses, his combination of functional strength, controlled aggression, and technical consistency gives Detroit a building block up front. With how comfortable he looks against NFL-caliber size and speed, Ratledge is already proving he wasn’t drafted just to develop -- he was drafted to contribute immediately.