BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA – NOVEMBER 03: Henry Ruggs III #11 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrates his touchdown in the first quarter of their game against the LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium on November 03, 2018 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
The Las Vegas Raiders addressed both sides of the ball in the first round with Henry Ruggs and Damon Arnette. How does the Raiders’ 2020 NFL Draft grade shake out?
12
Henry Ruggs
WR Alabama
If there’s a classic Raiders pick, Ruggs is it. The fastest player in the draft, Ruggs is a true burner who will open up space for running back Josh Jacobs while allowing tight end Darren Waller to work the seam. Head coach Jon Gruden now has his version of Tyreek Hill.
At Tuscaloosa, Ruggs went for 1,716 receiving yards over three seasons with the Crimson Tide, notching 24 touchdowns while averaging 17.5 yards per catch. If there’s any concern, it’s the lack of overall production.
Yes, Ruggs played on a loaded team with Alabama, but he was largely second on the pecking order behind Jerry Jeudy. How does he handle being the top dog on an NFL receiving corps?
19
Damon Arnette
CB Ohio State
This may have been the biggest reach of the first round. While Arnette is talented, he was thought to be a Day 2 pick by most draft experts. However, general manager Mike Mayock believes in the Ohio State product, taking him at No. 19 overall.
If Arnette fulfills his potential, he’ll eventually anchor the Las Vegas secondary alongside second-year safety Johnathan Abram. In four seasons with the Buckeyes, Arnette totaled five interceptions and 22 passes defended.