Pick #12 is in: WR Henry Ruggs, Alabama

[RaidersAreOne]

I believe it was Ruggs who Saban mentioned was the most competitive guy on Alabama. Gruden and Mayock must have loved his work ethic. 

[Bitty 2.0]

4 minutes ago, roi34 said:

42 inch vert doesn't hurt at 5'11

I think he's closer to 6 feet but He also has 131 broad jump that's all most 11 feet.

[oakdb36]

8 hours ago, RaidersAreOne said:

Select people are hating the pick because it was a negative it wasn't Lamb or even Jeudy, and they don't look at the positives of it being Ruggs. Legit a top 5 speedster at the position, very good hands, solid route runner, etc. Also one hell of a decoy and is going to keep safeties a lot higher than they have been in the past. You HAVE to respect his speed.

Great pick with Jeudy too btw. 

I don't like the pick because i don't expect him to produce the numbers a 12 overall WR should. I'm sure he's going to have some very exciting plays and long TDs but that's not going to happen week in, week out. I understand the hope is the attention he'll get will also open things for others but that high a pick has to produce regularly on his own. If we get a possession WR later, i guess it'll make it a better pick. But at this point, who's the go to guy on 3rd down? Renfrow?

[agarcia34]

With huge hands. He needs to add muscle and that will come after his rookie year. He is the best athlete at WR. 

[roi34]

Just now, oakdb36 said:

I don't like the pick because i don't expect him to produce the numbers a 12 overall WR should. I'm sure he's going to have some very exciting plays and long TDs but that's not going to happen week in, week out. I understand the hope is the attention he'll get will also open things for others but that high a pick has to produce regularly on his own. If we get a possession WR later, i guess it'll make it a better pick. But at this point, who's the go to guy on 3rd down? Renfrow?

Draft isn't over and ruggs can def be a 75 sec 1150 yard guy. It'll depend on QB now and his development.

[oakdb36]

1 hour ago, Bitty 2.0 said:

You do realize you said that's about the 1st pick the raiders take in every draft.

You realize he was right more often than not.

[massraider]

14 minutes ago, RaidersAreOne said:

I believe it was Ruggs who Saban mentioned was the most competitive guy on Alabama. Gruden and Mayock must have loved his work ethic. 

That's the kind of stuff that matters at WR.

Also:  Great hands. 

 

[RaidersAreOne]

Just now, massraider said:

That's the kind of stuff that matters at WR.

Also:  Great hands. 

 

Very good stat. There was another awesome tweet I saw in the past about routes ran. Broke it down in a chart about how many looks each WR had running different routes and Ruggs ran a wider variety than Lamb/Jeudy did iiirc. Wish I could find that.

[massraider]

I was a Jeudy guy all day long, but Ruggs wasn't a reach, and fills a need.  The rest is just chatter.  

Debating players ranked THAT closely........uggggh.

I'd rather focus on what he can do, and fit into the offense. Waller and Jacobs BOTH just got some more room.  Cascade effect is no joke.

 

[oakdb36]

42 minutes ago, Bitty 2.0 said:

Even if Riggs never gets more than 900 yards a year but opens up the offense for other players, it will be well worth the 12th pick.

That's where we completely disagree. He needs to produce high numbers to be worth the pick.

[RaidersAreOne]

 

[101Raider]

Would have strongly preferred Jeudy or Lamb. 
 

However, looking at it a different way, it can be argued that while those two will likely put up better stats, I have little doubt that Ruggs will make the rest of our offensive players more productive.

3rd and short, Jeudy and Lamb are go-to studs. However with Ruggs blowing out the gates like a rocketship, Waller and Jacobs become much, much more efficient.

[RaidersAreOne]

Waller is our go-to receiving threat. Always going to be regardless if we went Lamb or Jeudy. Ruggs just adds a completely different dimension no other player in this draft could. 

[reddevil]

16 minutes ago, oakdb36 said:

That's where we completely disagree. He needs to produce high numbers to be worth the pick.

Why, if the effect is to increase rushing yards for Jacobs and yards for Waller and Williams? I’m not saying that he will or that Lamb wouldn’t have the same effect - but speaking theoretically - if he got 900 or so yards each year and our offense as a whole improved significantly with an exponential rise in the other players numbers - why wouldn’t that be worth 12? Seems arbitrary 

Edited April 24, 2020 by reddevil

[agarcia34]

Hopefully, Gruden has some deep crossing routes in that playbook that he can dust off. Those would be the routes I would heavily call with Ruggs using his speed east to west is just as important then using it north to south. Carr is gonna have to hold onto the ball but with deep crossing route he will be able to kill in man coverage and that opens up everything else underneath for Williams and Waller and Renfrow. 

Everyone freaking out, but I see the potential of this offense and what he can bring and I am so excited. 

Edited April 24, 2020 by agarcia34