Alabama WR Henry Ruggs III Says Broncos Have 'Constantly' Been in Contact With Him
As far as Henry Ruggs III knows, the Denver Broncos' interest in him, which has been a massive offseason trope dating back to January, is genuine. How do we know that Ruggs believes that?
Well, despite it being the 'lying season' around the NFL, gleaning intelligence from the horse's mouth is about as reliable as it gets. Ruggs told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk on Tuesday that he has "constantly" received communication from a small handful of NFL teams, including the Broncos. Two of those teams are ahead of the Broncos in the first round of the NFL Draft (Raiders at 12 and Niners at 13).
What does "constant" communication mean? Ruggs put it into context.
"Man, I've spoken with numerous teams from Las Vegas to Philadelphia, Denver, Detroit — it's been some of everybody," Ruggs told PFT. "It's been everywhere. I just get random calls from time to time, whenever I'm not doing anything. Guys will text me and tell me to call in so they can just have a quick conversation. It's been a couple of teams just constantly."
When pressed by Florio on which teams have been the most incessant in their calling, Ruggs said,
This year's pre-draft process has been uniquely constrained do to the pandemic that has triggered state governments across the United States to put in place strict social distancing guidelines. The NFL put forth a policy in late March that banned team employees, executives, players, and staff from team facilities.
The NFL Draft this year will take place virtually, with teams being plugged into an online hub. No players walking the red carpet. No players waiting to hear their name called in the green room and no hug from Commissioner Roger Goodell or photo op from the stage.
That also means Ruggs and his fellow 2020 NFL prospects haven't been able to travel for team visits or workouts. Literally, everything about this year's pre-draft process has been virtual or long-distance and remote.
But if the Broncos are keeping in constant contact with Ruggs, that tells you a little something about how he is viewed on the team's big board. The Broncos have also been tied to Ruggs' teammate Jerry Jeudy, as well as Oklahoma's CeeDee Lamb and various other WR prospects in the class.
The expectation is that the Broncos will draft a WR in the first round, and all the latest buzz has GM John Elway orchestrating a trade up to pick 10 (Cleveland). Now fans fully understand why.
If the Raiders and Niners are as interested in Ruggs as the prospect seems to think, there's a good chance one of those teams will take him either at pick 12 or 13, respectively. But if Elway can strike a deal with Cleveland to move from pick 15 to 10, it would leap-frog both the Raiders and Niners.
That wouldn't guarantee the Broncos land Ruggs because he could always go between picks 1-9 but it would boost the odds to about as good as it gets. And if, by some chance, Ruggs is gone, sitting at pick 10, Elway would have the prerogative of drafting whichever WR the Broncos believe is the next-best prospect, whether that be Jeudy or Lamb.
Why Ruggs is So Coveted by NFL Teams
Firstly, he brings 4.27-speed to the table. Look no further than Kansas City to see how elite speed can open up an entire offense and force the opponent's hand. Just the threat of Tyreek Hill and Mecole Hardman forces opponents to defend against the Chiefs in specific ways, which Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes can exploit.
The same could hold true for the Broncos, if indeed the team was able to land Ruggs. He would force safety attention away from Courtland Sutton, which not only would open things up for the Broncos' Pro Bowler but also the likes of second-year TE Noah Fant and even the running backs in the passing game.
However, Ruggs is more than just a vertical threat. From possessing great hands, to his athletic ability and short-area quickness in the open field, he's got potential in spades.
"I feel like I have ability in every category," Ruggs told PFT. "Other than speed, I definitely feel like I have pretty good hands."
Fans will only have to wait about another 48 hours to find out what the Broncos will do in the first round. If Elway stands pat at 15, all evidence points to WRs like Ruggs being gone, and likely even Jeudy and Lamb. Just how badly does Elway want to land one of the 'Big 3' WRs?
Can Elway live with a Justin Jefferson or Denzel Mims? Or even a Jalen Reagor or Brandon Aiyuk on Day 2? We'll know soon enough.
Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen and @MileHighHuddle.
