The Las Vegas Raiders had several receivers to choose from with the 12th overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. However, selecting former Alabama star Henry Ruggs was no brainer for General Manager Mike Mayock, because his speed and explosion set him apart from the other wideouts.

During a visit with Rich Eisen, Mayock explained how Ruggs would impact the team this upcoming season.

“At the end of the day, I think the pure speed of Henry Ruggs is kind of what changed things for us,” Mayock said on Thursday. “We felt like we've been bereft of speed both vertically and horizontally, and when you get a guy like Ruggs, not only are you getting a vertical threat — the deep overs, the post routes — you're also getting those manufactured touches, the horizontal ones — the jet sweeps, the bubble screens.”

Additionally, Mayock said that Ruggs could even contribute on special teams as a potential kick returner. This isn't a surprise since Ruggs recorded 286 yards on 12 kickoff returns last season with the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Nevertheless, Ruggs will be an excellent weapon for quarterback Derek Carr to have to throw to. This past season at Alabama, Ruggs recorded 40 catches for 746 yards and had only one drop. In his three seasons at Alabama, Ruggs tallied up 1,716 yards and 24 touchdowns on 98 catches.

The Raiders will need all the help they can get from Ruggs on offense this upcoming season. In the 2019 NFL campaign, the Raiders had the third-fewest receptions and fourth-fewest receiving yards by receivers.