Surrounded by his family at their home in Montgomery, Ala., on the evening of April 23, Henry Ruggs III took a moment to process his emotions. He’d just learned the Raiders made him the 12th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the first receiver selected, and it led him to reflect.
Ruggs remembered all the hard work he put in along his journey toward this new beginning. Being able to enjoy it with his loved ones was heartwarming and fulfilling, but his thoughts quickly shifted to what would come next.
“Just proving everybody wrong,” Ruggs told The Athletic on Monday. “Once I declared and made my decision, I still had doubters. People said, ‘He’s not even one of the top receivers on his team. He’s not good. He’s not ready.’ Of course I overcame that and was the first receiver taken in the draft, but now I’m out to prove that that wasn’t a mistake. That’s not a reach. This program made a great and…
