Las Vegas Raiders add big playmaker in 7-round 2020 mock draft
By Randy Gurzi
Round 1, Pick 12: Henry Ruggs, III, Alabama
Remember the good old days when we could predict the Raiders draft picks simply by watching 40-yard dash times? Back when Al Davis was running the team, he was all about speed. He even famously took Darrius Heyward-Bey at No. 7 overall back in 2009 after he ripped off a 4.3 in the 40-yard dash.
More from NFL Spin Zone
- Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
- Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
Unsurprisingly, that strategy often backfired — as it did with Heyward-Bey who never lived up to his draft position. But every now and then, a player who blows people away with his unbelievable wheels is worth taking early. And that seems to be the case with Alabama speedster Henry Ruggs.
The 5-11, 198-pound Ruggs blew people away with his 4.27-second time in the 40-yard dash and that could have cemented him as the higher prospect than teammate Jerry Jeudy, who actually got more targets with the Tide.
Ruggs might not have been the No. 1 option but he made the most out of his receptions. In three seasons, he had 98 catches for 1,716 yards with 24 touchdowns.
He’s a big play waiting to happen and the Raiders can use some of that as their wide receiving corps left a lot to be desired in 2019.