HENDERSON, Nev. – The Las Vegas Raiders have signed first-round draft pick WR Henry Ruggs III, the club announced Saturday.
Ruggs III, a 6-foot, 190-pound explosive receiver out of Alabama was selected 12th overall by the Raiders in the 2020 NFL Draft.
A three-year player for the Crimson Tide, Ruggs III appeared in 41 contests with 27 starts during his time with the program and compiled 98 receptions for 1,716 yards and 24 touchdowns, adding two rush attempts for an additional score. Ruggs III finished his collegiate career ranking third in school history in touchdown receptions, while his 17.5-yard average per reception ranks sixth in program annals.
As a senior in 2019, he recorded 40 receptions for 746 yards and tallied seven touchdown receptions, with 27 of his 40 receptions going for either a first down or touchdown. His average of 18.6 yards per reception during his final season ranked first on the team and placed him 24th nationally. In 2018, he registered career highs in receptions (46) and touchdown receptions (11), ranking second in the SEC in receiving scores. As a freshman in 2017, Ruggs II was named to the All-SEC Freshman Team after tallying 12 receptions for 229 yards, including six that went for touchdowns, while also returning 13 kickoffs for 239 yards and eight punts for 46 yards.
A native of Montgomery, Ala., Ruggs III attended Robert E. Lee High School and was an elite five-star prospect by 247Sports as a receiver. He ranked No. 24 nationally in the Top247 and was the outlet's top-rated receiver, while ranking No. 10 and No. 23 in the nation among his position group by other reputable outlets such as Scout.com and ESPN. He participated in the U.S. Army All-American Game following his senior year in 2016 after being responsible for 20 total touchdowns on 102 touches in just nine contests. Ruggs III was also an outstanding basketball player during his prep career, averaging 11.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game as a senior.
