Henry Ruggs III to Alabama: Crimson Tide Land 4-Star WR Prospect

A dynamic wide receiver can open up an entire offense, so Alabama will be happy to see 4-star wide receiver Henry Ruggs III on campus next year.   

Cecil Hurt of the Tuscaloosa News shared word of Ruggs' commitment.

Ruggs is a unique talent who has elite-level athleticism, though he does have some development ahead of him because he's not a well-defined wide receiver at this point. He gets by on his raw talent at high school, which won't always work at the collegiate level. 

Per Scout, Ruggs is the top-ranked wide receiver from his home state of Alabama, 10th-ranked wide receiver in the nation and 75th-ranked player overall. 

Drawing up a prototypical receiver from scratch, it's hard to come up with a better outline than the one Ruggs presents. Scout also noted that his versatility as a weapon only adds to his value:

"

Such a talented athlete. Has a very good burst and can really separate from coverage. Displays great body control making adjustments on balls in the air. A fun player to watch because he always wants the ball and he is a true competitor. Ruggs is really a big play waiting to happen. Can play outside receiver or slot.

"

Versatility isn't necessary as a wide receiver, but it never hurts for a player to be able to line up in multiple spots to keep the defense honest. 

It helps that Ruggs will be going to Alabama, a program that has done a great job of developing wide receivers throughout Nick Saban's tenure. Julio Jones has been one of the NFL's best wide receivers for nearly a decade. 

Amari Cooper set an SEC record for receptions in a single season with 124 in 2014 before he became the fourth overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft. Calvin Ridley immediately took Cooper's spot as the best outside playmaker, recording 89 catches for 1,045 yards as a freshman in 2015. 

Even though Alabama is known as a running team, offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin is not afraid to open things up in the passing game. 

Bringing a speed demon like Ruggs into the mix for the always-loaded Crimson Tide only makes them more lethal on offense. Recruiting isn't supposed to be easy, but Alabama continues to do laps around the rest of the country. 

Recruiting information per Scout unless otherwise noted.