Henry Ruggs III will have a lot to prove in his second year with the Las Vegas Raiders after a subpar 2020 rookie season.
Ruggs appeared in 13 games for the Raiders but only managed to record 26 receptions for 452 yards and two touchdowns, an underwhelming showing given he was the first receiver taken off the board during the 2020 NFL Draft. Although he failed to meet some lofty expectations, Ruggs did have flashes that made it easy to see why the front office was so enamored with him.
Fellow receiver Nelson Agholor overshadowed the Alabama product, but with the latter gone, Ruggs will have a real opportunity to shine and prove he was worth the investment. John Brown is already a believer in Ruggs and went so far as to say that he can break games open with his speed.
“Definitely Henry Ruggs, when I watch film, his speed alone,” Brown said. “He can definitely dominate the game. He can really take over the offense. And with Bryan Edwards, he’s physical and he’s really aggressive. So, with him bringing that energy right there, a lot of guys can feed off of that. So, that’s the main things that pop up to me when I put on the film and watch those guys.”
Ruggs’ calling card is his blazing speed, and he should be able to take the tops off opposing defenses wherever he is lined up. However, Ruggs has also shown proficiency in the intermediate areas of the field, where he can do damage after the catch.
Head coach Jon Gruden should be able to scheme up ways to get Ruggs open where he can utilize his speed, particularly in jet sweep actions that have become popular in today’s NFL. The receiver should also be able to find himself in more one-on-one situations, given defenses will have to worry about the other options on the Raiders offense, such as Darren Waller and Josh Jacobs.
Year 2 should be better for Ruggs as he continues to acclimate and get comfortable within the Silver and Black’s offense, and he could be in line for a breakout season if things go right.
