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The Las Vegas Raiders took University of Alabama wide receiver Henry Ruggs III with the 12th overall pick of the NFL Draft late last month, and apparently Derek Carr is pretty happy about it.
While some have questioned how Ruggs—a speedster who was not incredibly productive in college—will translate on the professional level for Las Vegas, Carr felt that Ruggs was the best receiver in the draft all along:
“Ruggs was definitely No. 1,” Carr told Vic Tafur of The Athletic. “So I watched every play that all three of them (Ruggs and fellow wide outs Jerry Jeudy and CeeDee Lamb) had over the last year, I watched every play. And the thing that always stood out with Ruggs was … there were a few things. He’s always the fastest guy in the field, whether he’s tired or hurt, been knocked off his block a few times in the game. Doesn’t matter. He’s always the most explosive, fastest guy on the field.”
Ruggs lit up the NFL Scouting Combine, and ultimately the Raiders, back in February, posting a 4.27-second 40-yard dash time and drawing the attention of scouts across the league.
The 21-year-old arrived at Alabama in 2017 and had a rather interesting freshman campaign, with six of his 12 catches going for touchdowns. However, his overall role was limited.
The following year, Ruggs' playing time increased significantly, as he caught 46 passes for 741 yards and 11 scores. Ruggs then capped off his NCAA career by hauling in 40 receptions for 746 yards and seven touchdowns during his junior campaign.
He may not have been quite as productive as Jeudy or Lamb in college, but Carr seems to like what he sees in his new Raiders teammate.
