How a conversation with Nick Saban made Raiders’ Mike Mayock a big fan of Henry Ruggs III
Las Vegas Raiders general manager Mike Mayock had a choice between wide receivers CeeDee Lamb, Henry Ruggs III or Jerry Jeudy in the NFL Draft.
He said he was surprised all three were available when the Raiders were on the clock with the 12th overall pick.
Then a conversation with Alabama coach Nick Saban reminded Mayock which player he wanted to pick.
“When Nick Saban looks at you in the eye and says, ‘Mike, he works harder than anybody on our team and he comes to practice every single day like he’s a walk-on everyday.’ That’s my kind of guy,” Mayock said on SiriusXM NFL Radio on Wednesday.
After the Raiders took Ruggs III on April 23, Lamb went to the Denver Broncos (15th) and Lamb to the Dallas Cowboys (17th).
Mayock said he told coach Jon Gruden about the conversation he had with Saban, and “Jon almost fell over because Jon loves him already. (Ruggs III) is a tough guy.”
Mayock said not only is Ruggs III tough; he’s fast, too, an increasingly important attribute to compete in the AFC West. Speed helped the Kansas City Chiefs to a Super Bowl championship and the other two division rivals, the Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers, also improved at skill positions in the draft.
Pairing Ruggs III with tight end Darren Waller and running back Josh Jacobs opens the playbook, Mayock said. The Raiders behind quarterback Derek Carr last season “did it without any real vertical help or stretch from the wide receiver position. This year, we feel that is going to be a different conversation.”
