ESPN's Mel Kiper Picks Alabama WR Henry Ruggs to Broncos in Mock Draft 3.0
Another week rolls by and another leading draftnik has mocked Alabama's blazing wideout Henry Ruggs to the Denver Broncos. With the Broncos currently holding pick No. 15 in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the ESPN's godfather of mocks Mel Kiper has Ruggs rolling in to be teamed up with Courtland Sutton.
15. Denver Broncos
Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama
The Broncos have made a few solid additions this offseason, signing guard Graham Glasgow and running back Melvin Gordon and trading for defensive tackle Jurrell Casey and cornerback A.J. Bouye. They haven’t addressed left tackle — former first-round pick Garett Bolles could be on his way out after a disappointing tenure — or wide receiver, where they have Courtland Sutton but not much else. Ruggs, who ran a 4.27 40 at the combine, would be a great complement to Sutton’s size, as he could run crossers and catch deep balls from second-year signal-caller Drew Lock.
This is Kiper's third mock draft of the season and it marks the second time Ruggs has been his selection for the Broncos at pick 15.
Why Ruggs Keeps Getting Mocked to Denver
First off, there's some serious smoke emanating from Dove Valley on the Ruggs issue and it started early in the offseason. As soon as the 2019 campaign ended, Broncos' insiders and beat writers, including we here at Mile High Huddle, began reporting the buzz about the team's focus on adding speed and explosive play-making ability to the wide receiver depth chart. For the team, it's all about building the nest around Drew Lock.
Arguably the most trusted Mile High insider — KOA's Benjamin Allbright — took it a step farther, passing on the buzz that the Broncos could even double-dip at the WR position. It's not outside the bounds of the plausible that the Broncos, currently holding five picks in the top-100, could use two of them on a WR.
So why Ruggs?
Well, first off, even before the NFL Combine in February, Ruggs was viewed as one of the top-3 WRs in the class by a majority of draftniks. In terms of the prototype the Broncos are after (remember, speed and explosiveness), Ruggs checks all the boxes.
Then the Combine rolled around and Ruggs ran a 4.27-second 40-yard dash, blowing the doors down at Lucas Oil Stadium. Coming out of Indianapolis, the buzz was that the Broncos were absolutely enamored by Ruggs.
RELATED: Finding Broncos: Henry Ruggs III Scouting Report
Rumors of a Trade-up
Not long after, rumors began to matriculate through the interwebs that the Broncos were so taken with Ruggs that GM John Elway might even be exploring the possibility of trading up from pick 15 into the top-10 in order to land the ex-Crimson Tide burner.
Where we Go from Here
That brings us to today. In the case of Ruggs and the Broncos, this is a case of 'where there's smoke, there's fire'. Ruggs is absolutely high on Denver's board; it's just a matter of whether Elway can maneuver to get him.
We still have a ways to go before the draft rolls around on April 23. Until then, get used to seeing Ruggs mocked to Denver by the ubiquitous fan mocks on social media and leading draftniks alike.
By the way, check out the video above for a list of five likely wideouts the Broncos can target after round one, if, indeed, Elway ends up double-dipping in the draft.
Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen and @MileHighHuddle.
