Henry Ruggs was the 12th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, and his career got off to a red-hot start, recording 921 yards and four touchdowns across his first two seasons.
Little did we know, those would be the only two years Ruggs played before he was jailed for driving under the influence and vehiclular manslaughter. Ruggs was sentenced to three to 10 years in prison at the age of 24.
While Ruggs has been imprisoned since 2023, he’s still staying in shape, holding out hope for a return to the NFL. It turns out, he’s not the only one who thinks Ruggs will be back.
Recently, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer stated his belief that Ruggs will eventually return to the NFL.
“I believe we could see Henry Ruggs III in an NFL uniform again. Eventually, people will start to look forward, and Ruggs’s public appearance was at least a reminder that he’s eligible for parole in early August 2026, a little over a year from now. At that point, he’ll be 27—and, at least on paper, he’d be in the heart of his athletic prime. It’s unclear whether the NFL would suspend him. I checked in with the league office and was told the matter would be “reviewed” ahead of reinstatement.”
SI on Henry Ruggs
Now 26 years old, it’s not impossible to think Ruggs can return to playing pro football, especially if he can prove to teams that he’s a changed man. Yet, as Breer notes, it’s possible the NFL will suspend him when he is released from prison.
“As for whether a team would pick him up, I think, provided he could show teams he’s learned and grown from a terrible, fatal mistake, he would get a second chance. Really, for two reasons. First, if he can still run like he used to, he has an element of speed that every team is always looking for. Second, his reputation off the field coming out of Alabama was really, really good. That doesn’t fix what he’s done. But it’s reason to believe that he’s going to give himself the best chance to rebuild his life and give some new team real value.”
SI on Henry Ruggs, continued
As a former first-round pick with speed to burn (4.27 40 yard dash at NFL combine), chances are Ruggs would still get a second chance. Heck, it might even come with the Raiders, where he began his career after starring at Alabama.
Related: Henry Ruggs still training in jail, holding out hope for NFL return
More About:NFL