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The Las Vegas Raiders are looming to add another explosive target in their offensive arsenal. The team selected former Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Henry Ruggs III with the 12th overall pick in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. The said pick was a surprise to many and shattered many mock drafts as the speedster became the first receiver to come off the board.
NFL insider Ian Rapoport disclosed the details of the potential signing on Twitter:
The #Raiders have agreed to terms with rookie No. 12 pick WR Henry Ruggs and he’s expected to sign in a few days, source said. His four-year, fully guaranteed deal is worth $16.67M with a fifth-year option.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 21, 2020
The 5-11, 188-pound player thrived in Nick Saban's system all throughout his college career. He totaled 98 receptions for 1,716 yards and scored 24 touchdowns in a span of three seasons.
He was also a College Football Playoff National Champion during his freshman year in 2017. Ruggs recently ran a 4.27-second 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Combine, the fourth-fastest ever since the electronic timer's inception in the event in 1999.
The entry of Ruggs in the Raiders offense will be a much-needed boost as the team will hope to improve from a subpar performance last season. The Silver and Black were tied with the Denver Broncos on an identical 7-9 record in a Kansas City Chiefs-dominated division.
The rookie will join former Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota and former Los Angeles Ram inside linebacker Cory Littleton as the new faces in the Raiders side. Veteran linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski was also acquired to anchor the team's defensive line for the coming season.
Jon Gruden's men will face their first test of the 2020 season against a renewed Carolina Panthers team at the Bank of America Stadium on September 13.
