The Raiders used a first-round pick on Henry Ruggs because he possesses the ultimate Raiders quality — straight-line speed.
They didn’t wait to put it to use.
The Raiders have already taken a few deep shots to the rookie receiver, with Derek Carr hitting him for a 45-yard completion which set up Josh Jacobs’ 1-yard touchdown run for a 7-3 lead over the Panthers.
Between Ruggs’ speed and a questionable Panthers secondary, he had plenty of space on the play that set up the score, something they’re clearly trying to exploit.
The Panthers moved the ball a bit themselves, with new quarterback Teddy Bridgewater looking efficient, but it appears they’re going to have to carry the load this season.