While the Raiders are only two weeks into padded practices, there have been a few clear “winners” at training camp so far. One of those is Henry Ruggs III, the No. 12 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Showing off his rare speed, we’ve now seen multiple reports and videos of Ruggs looking like a star for the Raiders.
The team is going to need him to get off to a fast start as Tyrell Williams could miss a portion of the regular season with a shoulder injury. The Raiders will undoubtedly lean on veterans Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow to carry the passing game, but they will need Ruggs to play well early in the season.
In a recent article by Pro Football Focus, Ruggs was named one of the ten rookies who must get off to a quick start in 2020 given his situation. Luckily for him, he’s got the talent to do so and plenty of big-game experience on his resume. Take a look at why PFF is so optimistic about Ruggs producing early in the season for the Raiders:
“Ruggs is a complete route-runner who can rack up explosive plays with his generational speed. Removing screens, Ruggs had open separation (more than a couple of steps) on 67.7% of his targets when lined up on the outside in 2019, which led all FBS receivers and was 30 percentage points above the average. His releases and route-running are precisely what you want in a wide receiver prospect. And when combining that with his speed, you get an after-the-catch monster.”
The Raiders don’t need Ruggs to be their leading receiver or a target monster in their offense. Instead, they just need him to create a few chunk plays in the early parts of the season to keep defenses on their heels. If he can help create space underneath due to the threat of his speed, he could help players like Waller and Renfrow operate more effectively on shallower passes.
Ruggs will be relied upon early in the season for the Raiders. But he’s not going to be asked to do anything different than he did during his career at Alabama. The Raiders will put him in a great spot to succeed and in turn, that should be incredibly beneficial to the entire offense. Look for Ruggs to have a significant role for the Raiders early in the 2020 season.
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