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It’s no secret that the Oakland Raiders will be looking to add to their wide receiver room this offseason. While the team is having a ton of success on offense, the unit lacks a true No. 1 receiver that can dictate coverage.
Oakland has a bunch of nice complementary players, including Tyrell Williams and Hunter Renfrow, but they need that one stud they can go to in the game’s biggest moments.
Luckily for Oakland, several elite wide receiver options are entering the 2020 draft. One such player is Henry Ruggs III of Alabama. While Ruggs doesn’t have the prototypical size for a No. 1 receiver, he is one of the most explosive receivers in the country.
Through nine games, Ruggs is averaging 20 yards per receptions on 29 catches as he has scored seven total touchdowns. In Luke Easterling’s latest mock draft at the Draft Wire, Ruggs was the selection for the Raiders at pick No. 17. Take a look at Easterling’s reasoning for the pick below:
The Antonio Brown debacle is in the rear-view mirror, but the Raiders still need a No. 1 receiver who can take over a game with size, athleticism and physicality. Current management takes a page out of the late, great Al Davis’ book, opting for Ruggs and his elite speed.
Ruggs would be a great fit in Oakland’s offense because he can stretch the field, opening up the underneath routes for Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow, while also taking a safety out of the box in the run game.
Ruggs isn’t likely to be a 100-catch receiver in the NFL, but that isn’t what Oakland needs. They just need someone to keep defenses honest, and that’s precisely what Ruggs can do.
Expect the Alabama receiver to be on the shortlist of players the team considers come April’s draft.
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