The Philadelphia Eagles picked a good year to need a wide receiver. After giving Carson Wentz arguably the worst supporting cast in the league, the Eagles need to add some difference-makers in the passing game. The 2020 NFL Draft is stacked with playmaking talent, but one name stands out above the rest. Henry Ruggs is a dynamic playmaking threat and should be on the board roughly when the Eagles are on the clock.
This isn’t to say that Ruggs is the best receiver in the upcoming draft class – he’s not. However, it’s hard to imagine any scenario where a guy like Jerry Jeudy falls to the 21st overall pick. A lot can happen between now and the NFL Draft, but Ruggs appears to be unlikely to go in the top 20. Even with a lot of talented skill players in the draft, Ruggs’ unique combination of explosiveness and toughness make him an ideal fit for Philadelphia.
Henry Ruggs A Perfect Fit for Philadelphia Eagles
Strengths
The first thing that jumps off the page with Ruggs is his ability to make big plays every time he touches the ball. The NFL Combine is roughly a month away, but it wouldn’t surprise anyone if Ruggs is among the fastest players tested. Alabama’s offense had a plethora of dangerous weapons and opposing defenses typically played soft zone in an attempt to limit big plays. It didn’t work, as Ruggs had to ability to get the ball underneath the coverage and outrun the entire defense.
https://twitter.com/DLPatsThoughts/status/1221063573725765632?s=20
This isn’t to say that Ruggs is just good after the catch. Ruggs’ speed allows him to beat defenses over the top, and he demonstrated an ability to get open in the red zone with an impressive catch radius. Ruggs’ speed will always be his best attribute, but he’s a well-rounded player who can do a little bit of everything.
Some players like Ruggs’ have a reputation of being one-trick ponies. Basically, common theory states that a guy like Brandin Cooks is either open by two steps or not open at all. Ruggs shatters that narrative, as the film shows a receiver capable of breaking tackles, winning contested catches, and taking hits over the middle.
https://twitter.com/DLPatsThoughts/status/1221068152609611776?s=20
Weaknesses
Ruggs’ biggest weakness is his relative inexperience with route running. As previously mentioned, opposing defenses typically played zone against Alabama, simply because college teams aren’t capable of lining up in man against both Ruggs and Jerry Jeudy. Because of this, Ruggs never had to hone his route running ability in order to be successful. This is a flaw that affects the vast majority of collegiate wide receivers, as Kyle Shanahan beautifully explained a few weeks ago.
Only time will tell if Ruggs can turn into an above-average route runner, but the early returns are encouraging. Nobody is going to confuse him with Stefon Diggs, but Ruggs managed to run a few nice routes last year. From an athletic standpoint, he has all of the necessary tools required to run routes at an NFL level.
Ruggs wasn’t asked to be a precise route runner in Alabama’s offense but I think there’s enough on tape to feel good about his ability to pick up the nuances of it in the NFL pic.twitter.com/9KvUZh3sts
— Dave Latham (@DLPatsThoughts) January 25, 2020
Even if Ruggs can’t figure out the subtle nuances of route running, he’s still going to be a dangerous player in the NFL. As shown in the clips above, Ruggs has the ability to make something happen each and every time he touches the ball. Every coach in the NFL should be able to come up with a few plays to get him the ball in the open field.
How Henry Ruggs Fits the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia’s wide receiver situation is a complete and total mess. Alshon Jeffery and DeSean Jackson should be back, but both players come with their own risk. Jeffery looked like he was slowing down before his season-ending injury, and Jackson missed the vast majority of 2019 with an injury of his own. Nelson Agholor is a free agent and almost assuredly won’t re-sign, while J.J. Arcega-Whiteside did nothing to inspire confidence moving forward.
Even if Jeffery and Jackson return to their pre-2019 forms, the Eagles need more depth behind them. Ruggs is comparable to Jackson and has the tools to step into that role if Jackson endures another injury-filled campaign. If both players stay healthy, then Ruggs can help create one of the most explosive passing attacks in the league. Carson Wentz is an above-average starter in a vacuum, but he can play at an MVP level with the right cast. Jackson proved he’s still dangerous when on the field, and no defense in the league has the speed to stop Ruggs and Jackson. Combining that duo with a healthy Jeffery and arguably the best tight end duo in the league gives Philadelphia one of the best supporting casts in the league.
Getting the ball to Ruggs shouldn’t be a problem, as Doug Pederson is one of the better offensive minds in football. Scheming a player open has never been easier in today’s pass-happy NFL, and Ruggs doesn’t need much space to be dangerous. Additionally, Philadelphia has one of the best offensive lines in the league, so Wentz should have plenty of time to air out a few deep shots to Ruggs.
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