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Arizona Cardinals: 3 wide receivers they should target in first round

By Steve Rivera

NORMAN, OK - NOVEMBER 9: Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb #2 of the Oklahoma Sooners celebrates his touchdown on a 63-yard pass and run with wide receivers Trejan Bridges #8 and Nick Basquine #83 in the game against the Iowa State Cyclones on November 9, 2019 at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners lead 35-14 at the half. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK - NOVEMBER 9: Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb #2 of the Oklahoma Sooners celebrates his touchdown on a 63-yard pass and run with wide receivers Trejan Bridges #8 and Nick Basquine #83 in the game against the Iowa State Cyclones on November 9, 2019 at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners lead 35-14 at the half. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /
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FAYETTEVILLE, AR – OCTOBER 6: Henry Ruggs III #11 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrates after recovering a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown in the first quarter of a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Razorback Stadium on October 6, 2018 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The Crimson Tide defeated the Razorbacks 65-31. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
FAYETTEVILLE, AR – OCTOBER 6: Henry Ruggs III #11 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrates after recovering a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown in the first quarter of a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Razorback Stadium on October 6, 2018 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The Crimson Tide defeated the Razorbacks 65-31. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

Some analysts (and there are several of them), point to the idea that Henry Ruggs III isn’t a true No. 1 wide receiver. Maybe, maybe not. But in Arizona, where the Cardinals already boasts a sure Hall of Famer in Larry Fitzgerald and have a veteran game-changer in DeAndre Hopkins, Ruggs would not need to be a true “No. 1.”

As stated at the outset, the Arizona Cardinals have an opportunity in 2020 to reset the table in the NFC West. With a fading Los Angeles Rams team, perhaps a question or two with the San Francisco 49ers, and a Seattle Seahawks team likely on borrowed time as a contender, the Cardinals have an opportunity to make a move. Ruggs III is the player that moves the needle.

Ruggs III had a solid season at Alabama. He logged 40 catches for 746 yards and seven touchdowns. At the NFL Combine, the Crimson Tide receiver would run a 4.27 40-yard dash. His vertical was 42.0, and his broad jump was 131.0 in.

So why Ruggs III? Simple: speed. He will force safeties into helping in coverage. This alone presents opportunities for the running AND passing game. Teams will struggle if they try to cover him in man-coverage. He can get himself into the second and third levels of a defense and is the kind of weapon a quarterback like Kyler Murray will love.

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