The 2020 NFL Draft is finally here and the Las Vegas Raiders got to address their need at wide receiver by selecting Alabama’s Henry Ruggs III with the No. 12 overall selection.
It was widely presumed that the Raiders would take one of the “Big 3” receivers in the draft and opted to take the speedster Ruggs instead of fellow Alabama teammate Jerry Jeudy and Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb. It had to be a difficult choice with all three on the board, but one can not fault Las Vegas for adding an electric player like Ruggs.
The receiver believes he will be able to step in right away and establish himself in Jon Gruden’s offense according to Vic Tafur of The Athletic:
Ruggs said he will definitely be able to "open up the Raiders offense" and "stretch the field. "I am going to be a guy that will have a positive impact"
— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) April 24, 2020
Ruggs possesses blazing speed as evidenced by the 4.27 time he ran at the NFL Combine, but also has sure hands and is creative after the catch. He is a bit raw as a route runner, but should be able to develop and grow as he gets more comfortable in the NFL.
The wideout gives Derek Carr the elite speed option the Raiders were missing during the 2019 NFL season and his ability to take the top off the defense should open up the rest of the field for players like Darren Waller and Tyrell Williams. While there are some concerns about his lack of volume and involvement in the passing game in college, it is undeniable that Ruggs has the skillset and talent to elevate the offense.
The draft played exactly into the hands of the Silver and Black and Ruggs is a near-perfect option to help them get back into the postseason. The Alabama product was one of the few receivers with home-run potential and should be a valuable contributor in his rookie season and hopefully for years to come.
