Due to the fact that teams can’t hold OTAs this offseason, the Las Vegas Raiders still haven’t gotten a shot to see first-round pick Henry Ruggs in action. Many players for the team have been meeting up at a Las Vegas park to practice, but Ruggs hasn’t been among them. Regardless, he’s known to be a hard worker and should be ready to make an impression in training camp.
Though Ruggs wasn’t universally thought to be the best wide receiver in the draft class, there are many who are very high on him. In fact, former All-Pro wide receiver Chad Johnson had a bold claim about the rookie.
The Raiders have been longing for a dynamic pass catcher out wide. They were hoping Antonio Brown was going to be that for them, but that blew up in their face. Ruggs is a very different player than Brown but could end up being just what the doctor ordered for a weak wide receiver group.
Johnson isn’t the only person to suggest Ruggs is in for an impressive career with the silver and black.
Another Former NFL WR Has Praise for Ruggs
Former wide receiver turned NFL Network analyst Nate Burleson is also very high on Ruggs. He predicted the Raiders wideout to be the biggest impact rookie in 2020.
“I am going with the Raiders new wide receiver Henry Ruggs III,” Burleson on Good Morning Football. “If you think about the impact that Tyreek Hill has had on the Chiefs, he is just a special player. You can’t coach speed.
“In the six years that Derek Carr has been in the league, he has 11, 11 passes for over 50 yards for a TD. That is pretty wild. He should double that, this year with Tyrell Williams, Darren Waller, and now Henry Ruggs.”
Burleson went so far as to say that Carr could break a personal record while throwing to Ruggs.
“And here is the thing. He had an 87-yard TD to Amari Cooper, back when Cooper was still on the Raiders. I guarantee that Henry Ruggs has a 90-plus yard TD this season. I got Henry Ruggs, making a big impact.”
Ruggs might be coming into the NFL as the fastest player around. Not only that, but he’s also got excellent hands, route-running ability and work ethic. He didn’t put up massive numbers at Alabama, but they had an overabundance of great wide receiver talent. Now that Ruggs will be the top wide receiver for a team, he could put up some strong numbers.
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What’s Going on With Ruggs’ Injury?
There’s a lot of excitement about Ruggs, but he’s already given the Raiders their first cause for concern. Recently, the wide receiver was in an accident that caused him to get a large cut on his leg. Fortunately, it doesn’t seem like he’ll miss training camp.
Ruggs dodged a serious bullet as everybody still remembers when Antonio Brown froze his feet last offseason. The Raiders couldn’t handle another wide receiver missing time due to another freak accident.
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