NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein put together a list of his top 10 candidates to take home the 2020 Offensive Rookie of the Year award, and former Alabama football stats Tua Tagovailoa, Jerry Jeudy, and Henry Ruggs III all made the list.
Here’s what he has to say about each of them:
5. Jerry Jeudy- WR, Denver Broncos
“Only one receiver has won the OROY award over the last 10 years (Odell Beckham Jr., 2014), but Jeudy is one to keep an eye on this season. He can break ankles with his crisp routes and instant directional change. He also has the speed to hit it big over the top or as a catch-and-run option on slants, shallow crossers and screens. While he could become the second-most targeted pass catcher on the squad behind Courtland Sutton, it’s worth noting that Noah Fant is an emerging pass-catching tight end, and second-year quarterback Drew Lock is still very green.”
Could Jeudy be the second WR in the past 10 years to win the OROY award? Maybe so! He certainly has the skill set to do so!
8. Tua Tagovailoa- QB, Miami Dolphins
“If Tagovailoa, coming off November hip surgery, proves to the Dolphins’ staff that he’s game-ready and wins the starting job for Week 1, then he’ll belong in the top three of this list. The reality, however, is that despite his potential, the Dolphins are unlikely to be in any type of hurry to rush him into action, with wily veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick still doing his thing in Miami. Tua could find his way into the starting lineup this season, but I think it’s unlikely to be early enough for him to win this award.”
Time will tell if Tua gets to play this season. But if he does, and he stays healthy, Tagovailoa certainly has a fair shot at the award.
9. Henry Ruggs III- WR, Las Vegas Raiders
“The slotting of Ruggs at No. 9 on this list is certainly not indicative of what I think of his ability to be an impact talent in the league. He possesses instant, electric speed and can threaten defenses in a variety of ways. However, it’s hard for me to ignore the fact that Derek Carr has had tight ends as his leading receivers for three straight seasons (Darren Waller last year and Jared Cook in the two prior) and has consistently been in the bottom half of the quarterback rankings in yards per completion since entering the league in 2014. I fear Ruggs is like a Bugatti with a driver who refuses to speed behind the wheel, which is why I don’t have him ranked higher here.”
If Raiders QB Derek Carr can become a more consistent and all around better quarterback, Ruggs has a chance to not only have a incredible rookie season, he could also seal the deal to win the OROY award.
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