Wide receiver Henry Ruggs III, the 11th overall selection of the 2020 NFL Draft, has yet to have a statistical impact for the Las Vegas Raiders.
No one’s calling Ruggs a bust. It’s far too early for such a statement. However, there is a cause for concern due to the fact that he is not having an impact as far as stats go. The Alabama standout is sixth on the squad for receptions, behind third-string running back Jalen Richard. Also, the speedster has only found the endzone on one occasion, the same number of times as Zay Jones and Jason Witten have.
The argument can be made that he’s showing positive signs as well. The positive flip side to this coin is that Ruggs is second when it comes to the highest YAC per reception according to Pro Football Focus. As a side note, in case you’re curious, quarterback Derek Carr has a 101.3 passer rating when he targets Ruggs.
Highest YAC per reception by WRs:
1. Deebo Samuel – 13.3
2. Henry Ruggs III – 10.0
3. Jalen Guyton – 9.8 pic.twitter.com/cgUQHMtFTN— PFF (@PFF) November 12, 2020
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The Positive Outweighs The Negative For The Raiders Right Now
The one positive that cannot we can’t deny is the effect that Ruggs’ presence has had on the team. His explosiveness and speed warrants constant attention from opposing defenses. In turn, this leads to mismatches that benefit the other Raiders receivers such as Nelson Agholor and Hunter Renfrow.
It’s just that he’s been unable to make any receptions for himself. Against the Chargers, Ruggs was targeted three times but didn’t come down with any catches. So far, PFF grades Ruggs at 56.9 for the year which isn’t great. For now, Raider Nation will have to be patient, Ruggs’ speed is elevating the team but sooner or later, the numbers will come as well. For those of you keeping count, we’ll leave you with this, the Raiders are 5-1 when Ruggs plays, so it may be a matter of time before the rookie breaks out.
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*Top Photo: Jeff Robertson/Associated Press