Jets 'Loved' Henry Ruggs III, Nearly Picked WR Over Mekhi Becton in First Round

With the 11th pick in the 2020 NFL draft, the New York Jets select ... Henry Ruggs. Wide receiver. Alabama.

That's not what came out of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's mouth during the first round of this year's draft. The Jets selected left tackle Mekhi Becton out of Louisville with the No. 11 pick.

Jets head coach Adam Gase revealed on Friday, ahead of this weekend's matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders, that New York almost picked Ruggs.

"Ruggs is somebody that we were definitely interested in," Gase said before practice on a Zoom call. "Obviously we took the big guy. The big guy, when you have a chance for a left tackle, it's hard to pass up."

Alabama had no shortage of talented receivers in 2019. After all, Jerry Jeudy (selected by the Denver Broncos) was the next wideout off the board just three picks after the Raiders snagged Ruggs. 

The biggest factor with Ruggs, for Gase, was his speed.

"Loved him," Gase explained. "Obviously we were looking to find speed. He's got real juice. I'm pretty sure I was one of many when you saw him run a 40, we're excited about that."

READ: Adam Gase Takes Blame For Jets Failure to Develop Sam Darnold

Think about how everything could have changed had the Jets pulled the trigger on Ruggs rather than Becton. You have to figure New York wouldn't have taken Denzel Mims in the second round, perhaps targeting an alternative on the offensive line. 

It's possible that the snowball effect of picking Ruggs early on could've completely altered the Jets' draft class, a group that's been solid across the board so far this season. Would New York still draft two defensive playmakers in the third round (in Ashtyn Davis and Jabari Zuniga)? What about running back La'Mical Perine in the fourth and corner Bryce Hall in the fifth?

There's no way to know for sure, but it's certainly fun to think about. 

Ruggs has played (and started) in nine games for Las Vegas this season. Entering Week 13, the wideout has 17 catches for 312 yards on the season. 

READ: Raiders Will Be Without Top Offensive Weapon Against Jets on Sunday

In just five games since his debut in Week 7, playing with two different Jets quarterbacks, Mims also has 17 catches with a total of 284 reception yards. Mims has had 62-plus yards in each of his last three games, showcasing his ability to come down with deep balls and make grabs over the middle.

Ruggs has been targeted 31 times with the Raiders in nine games. Mims has been targeted 33 times in five games with the Jets. 

As for Becton, the "big guy" has already proven that he's not just one of the best young offensive linemen in the game, but he's a worthy centerpiece of the Jets' rebuild going forward. 

READ: Rookie Mekhi Becton Has Already Shown Why He's the Future of the New York Jets

Even without diving into the numbers, the tackle has shown he can absolutely dominate the line of scrimmage at this level, repeatedly tossing talented defenders to the ground while protecting the quarterback's blind side. 

New York will get its first taste of Ruggs in the NFL this weekend when Las Vegas comes to MetLife Stadium, a test for the Jets' young defensive backs that have struggled containing top receivers in recent weeks.

It's too early to tell if New York made the right call picking Becton over Ruggs at No. 11 (and taking Mims the following round). It's safe to say based on the performances of those three through the first half of their rookie seasons, that each has a promising future in this league.

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