2020 NFL Draft: Why Henry Ruggs is best fit for 49ers offense

Most draft experts have the San Francisco 49ers taking a wide receiver with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Alabama’s Henry Ruggs could be the best fit for the offense.

If the San Francisco 49ers do indeed decide to take a wide receiver with the first of the team’s two first-round picks in the 2020 NFL Draft, then Alabama’s Henry Ruggs III should be the primary target.

The Niners offense, led by head coach Kyle Shanahan, has been waiting for a playmaker who can take the lid off of opposing defenses, and they will finally have a shot at getting one at No. 13 overall.

Ruggs, along with former Alabama teammate Jerry Jeudy and Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb, comprise the top three wideouts in the 2020 draft class. Jeudy is as polished as a route runner we have seen entering the pros. Lamb has an incredible catch radius and seems to bring down everything thrown his way. An argument could be made for the Niners taking any of the three.

Here’s the case for Ruggs.

Why 49ers need Henry Ruggs in the 2020 NFL Draft

Ruggs has game-changing speed that could really open up the offense. His 4.27-second 40-yard dash time was the fastest recorded at the NFL Scouting Combine this year. His game speed is even more impressive. He consistently lined up opposite some of the quickest defensive backs in the SEC and simply ran past them.

But so what? The Niners already have speed, right? Running back Matt Breida has been the fastest player recorded in the NFL the last two seasons, clocking in at over 22 miles per hour. San Francisco also has wide receiver Marquise Goodwin on the team who has Olympic level speed.

The difference with Ruggs is his talent goes well beyond just being fast. He can take hits from linebackers over the middle of the field on slant routes. He routinely lined up outside and in the slot for the Crimson Tide. He is a threat to take it to the house on any play with his knack for breaking away from defenders after the catch.

He truly is a complete receiver.

The knock against Ruggs has been his lack of receiving production. He put up 746 yards and seven touchdowns on 40 catches in his final year at Alabama, well short of the 1,000-plus yards both Lamb and Jeudy compiled last season. However, Ruggs was the No. 2 passing option on a run-oriented Crimson Tide offense.

Also, it doesn’t really matter if Jeudy and Lamb end up putting up better statistics than Ruggs in the NFL. The argument is Ruggs is a better fit for the 49ers offense, not that he is the better fantasy football option.

Ruggs would add another dimension to San Francisco’s offense it lacked last season. Even if tight end George Kittle and last year’s breakout rookie receiver, Deebo Samuel, get most of the targets, Ruggs could still provide a spark to the offense by taking the deep safeties up and out of the middle of the field where quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo loves to throw the ball.

The Kansas City Chiefs have the best offense in the NFL because they have the relentless threat of wide receiver Tyreek Hill running past guys, while tight end Travis Kelce runs short to intermediate routes to move the chains.

The 49ers will have a shot at replicating what the Chiefs were able to do on offense last season if they choose to draft Ruggs at No. 13 in the 2020 NFL Draft.