The Denver Broncos have plenty of holes they will need to fill during April’s NFL draft, and among them is the wide receiver position.
One player the Broncos could be interested in is Alabama product Henry Ruggs III. The 21-year-old stud receiver caught 40 passes, compiling 746 yards and seven touchdowns for the Crimson Tide in 2019, and is considered one of the best receivers in the draft.
Ruggs draft value soared after his 4.27 40-yard dash time, which is the second-fastest time for a wide receiver in combine history. He became just the second player to run the 40-yard dash in under 4.3 seconds.
Ruggs is expected to be taken in the middle rounds, and there is a chance he could be on the board when Denver is on the clock with the 15th pick.
That said, Broncos’ insider Benjamin Allbright believes the Broncos might have to move up as far as the 11th pick if they want to ensure the chance to select Ruggs.
The more people I talk to, the more convinced I am that the Broncos may need to get up to 11 to ensure they come away with Ruggs.
— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) March 7, 2020
It’s easy to understand why teams have fallen in love with Ruggs. Aside from his lightning-fast speed, he is also a tremendous athlete who was near limitless potential.
Ruggs would a game-changer alongside Courtland Sutton, and would provide quarterback Drew Lock with another solid weapon on the outside.
Additionally, the idea of pairing Ruggs, with Sutton, Lock, and Phillip Lindsay is very intriguing considering how Denver could build their offensive nucleus.
That said, it is unsure how far the Broncos would be willing to move up in the draft, if at all.
Pro Football Focus recently graded Ruggs as the top receiver in the draft, ahead of fellow Alabama product Jerry Jeudy and CeeDee Lamb.
“So the wide receivers are super interesting because some people have said ‘hey CeeDee Lamb is actually the best wide receiver’, we have Jerry Jeudy there, then there’s Henry Ruggs,” PFF said via 247Sports. “I think back to the Super Bowl and I’m sitting there, start of the fourth quarter and I just can’t envision the 49ers actually hoisting the Lombardi (trophy). You know why? The Chiefs have things that you just can never be sure are beaten. That is athleticism you can’t match. A guy that can throw the ball further than you can run and a guy that can run faster than your DB’s can. That’s what Henry Ruggs gives. So I’m taking Henry Ruggs over CeeDee Lamb.”
Ruggs is sure to be a hot commodity when the draft gets underway on April 23 in Las Vegas, NV and the Broncos may need to make some moves if they want him to wear orange and blue.
