Las Vegas Raiders Rookie Roles: Wide Receiver Henry Ruggs III

Las Vegas Raiders Rookie Roles: Wide Receiver Henry Ruggs III

College Career

Henry Ruggs III spent three years at the University of Alabama but was just a bit part player in his freshman season and recorded just 12 catches but six of them were touchdowns. The Crimson Tide were a run heavy offense in 2017 and only Calvin Ridley had more than 20 receptions over the course of the season.

Things changed in 2018 as Tua Tagovailoa took over as the starting quarterback, and Ruggs’s numbers exploded alongside the rest of the Alabama offense. Over the course of his 2018 and 2019 seasons, Ruggs notched 86 catches for 1,487 yards and 18 touchdowns. His highest yardage total was 746 yards in 2019 but it was also his lowest game total as the Crimson Tide did not take part in the College Football Playoff for the first time in his career.

The two stats that stand out most are the touchdowns and his yards per reception average. His 24 touchdowns over three years are just two less than teammate Jerry Jeudy on 60 fewer receptions and nine more than former Alabama WR Julio Jones.

Over three seasons, Ruggs recorded a yards per reception average of 17.5, which reinforces his ability to beat defenses over the top and take short passes and turn them in to monster gains.

Ruggs was not the most productive receiver in terms of catches and yards but his gamebreaking speed was constantly on display in Tuscaloosa and as we have seen with many NFL greats, speed is something that often translates well from the college game to the pros.