When the Raiders used the No. 12 pick on wide receiver Henry Ruggs III, the fit with he and Derek Carr seemed a bit clunky. However, the more that we learn about the former Alabama star, the more it makes sense.
Despite his 4.2 speed, Ruggs is actually at his best on passer underneath and across the middle. When he can catch passes in space, he’s nearly impossible to stop. Luckily for the Raiders, Carr excels on the short to intermediate throws.
A lot of the Raiders’ success this season will come down to how well these two mesh with one another. And so far, it appears the two have already fallen in love with one another. In a recent Zoom conference with the media, Ruggs talked about Carr and his relationship with the quarterback:
“I love him. He’s a guy that’s not afraid to call. If we have a question, he’ll come and see if we have a question before we can even think twice. So, he’s making sure that guys are on top of everything. If we want to come in early, he’s open to doing that. If we want to go to the house and try do something extra, he’s open to doing that. So, he’s a great leader, a great team guy and definitely is somebody that I can lean on for anything.”
A lot is said about Carr’s ability as a passer and how he needs to be more aggressive in order to fight off Marcus Mariota. But it’s Carr’s leadership that is his best trait and that will help elevate all of the players around him this season, including Ruggs.
Don’t be surprised if Carr and Ruggs hit the ground running in 2020 as they should start off hot against a young Panthers’ team in Week 1.
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