Jets Rumors: Henry Ruggs Eyed 'Very Closely' by NY Ahead of 2020 NFL Draft

The New York Jets reportedly have their eyes on Alabama wide receiver Henry Ruggs III as the NFL draft approaches. 

Ralph Vacchiano of SNY said the Jets "love" the speedy playmaker who "they have been eyeing very closely" as a potential candidate for the No. 11 overall pick. Vacchiano also pointed to Ruggs' Crimson Tide teammate in Jerry Jeudy as another option, although he suggested the Jets may ultimately pick an offensive tackle in the first round because of how deep this draft class is at wide receiver:

It shouldn't come as a surprise New York is looking into wide receivers.

Robby Anderson, who was the team's second-leading receiver last year, joined the Carolina Panthers this offseason, which leaves Jamison Crowder as the only returning member of the team who finished the 2019 campaign with more than 461 receiving yards.

Crowder was solid with 78 catches for 833 yards and six touchdowns, but those are not exactly No. 1 receiver numbers in today's pass-happy NFL.

Ruggs is someone with the speed to blow past defenders even at the NFL level and turn in a number of game-changing plays as soon as his rookie year. He caught 18 combined touchdowns during his final two years at Alabama even though he was playing in loaded offenses that needed to spread the ball around to various playmakers.

He ran a 4.27-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine and would give Sam Darnold a target for deep balls.

Jeudy would be a head-turning prize at No. 11 as well after he posted a combined 2,478 receiving yards and 24 touchdown catches the last two seasons for the Crimson Tide. He may not be available at No. 11, though, especially as the top wide receiver on Bleacher Report's Matt Miller's updated big board of prospects.

Ruggs is the No. 2 receiver on the list. 

Like Vacchiano suggested, Miller projected the Jets to take an offensive tackle in Louisville's Mekhi Becton with the No. 11 pick in his most recent mock draft.