2020 NFL Draft: Grades for all 32 first-round picks
Alabama. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 12. 28. Wide Receiver. Henry Ruggs III
Grade: B
Wow. A bit of a shocker to see Henry Ruggs III become the first wide receiver off the board. While it’s strange the Las Vegas Raiders didn’t use this pick on CeeDee Lamb, they still did what we expected them to do — upgrade the wide receiver corps.
The reason this pick gets a B? I’m not convinced he was the superior prospect to Lamb or Jerry Jeudy. Yes, he’s a freak athlete with explosive speed who can turn short routes into six points. However, I also believe he benefited from playing an offense loaded with weapons that defenses had to account for.
Will he be as successful as the presumed star of the show in Las Vegas? I’m not sure. It’s possible he could become the next Tyreek Hill, but we’ve also seen plenty of outstanding athletes/speedsters struggle to make big plays at the next level.
I don’t doubt that Ruggs will be a difference-maker for the Raiders. Still, I don’t think this was the best move for Las Vegas to make.