Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III, who had a short-lived NFL career, had a major life update this week. After his pro career ended in 2021 due to a fatal car crash, Ruggs III has achieved a major milestone at Alabama University.

Jordan Schultz, a renowned NFL insider, posted a picture of the list of graduates from Alabama, and Ruggs’ name was among them.

“Former NFL WR Henry Ruggs has graduated from the University of Alabama, completing his degree after being named to the President’s List with a 4.0 GPA during his final semester,” the NFL insider wrote.

This milestone came under unusual circumstances for Ruggs. Henry’s life took a permanent turn in November 2021 when he was involved in a fatal accident while driving under the influence of alcohol. This happened in Las Vegas. Ruggs was reportedly later sentenced to prison for three to ten years after he pleaded guilty to a charge of DUI related to death, as well as a misdemeanor charge of vehicular manslaughter.

This occurred after a tragic accident resulted in the death of a 23-year-old woman named Tina Tintor, as well as her dog.

According to the court documents, Ruggs was driving as fast as 156 miles per hour in a suburban area. Ruggs’ car speedometer was also recording 127 mph at the time of the airbag activation. It was also reported that the alcohol content in his blood was .161, which was well over the limit that was accepted in the state of Nevada.

Lately, Ruggs has begun to open up publicly regarding the seriousness of his crime. During a meeting with the Hope for the Prisoners organization in Las Vegas, he acknowledged the mistake that has encapsulated his entire life thus far.

“I wish I could turn back the hands of time,” Ruggs confessed when asked what he wanted to say to the Tintor family.

Nevertheless, he hoped that they could understand the reality of his identity.

“I would love for them to meet the real Henry Ruggs and not the one that was escaping from something. I sincerely apologize for not only being a part of that situation,” he added.

Ruggs also confessed to the humility that he has gained from being in prison. There’s been a lot of reflection on what life will be like ‘outside the walls.’ Showing that he has not yet chosen to keep the door shut on possibly returning to the league. Ruggs said that he would enjoy the opportunity if he gets another chance to return to the league because of his new spiritual life.

In the year 2021, he got a prison transfer to the transitional housing unit that is merely one mile away from the Raiders’ home at the Raiders’ Allegiant Stadium. His parole eligibility is set on Aug. 6, 2026, when he will be only 26 years old.

Before things went awry, Ruggs was regarded as the most exciting skill player on the football scene.

Henry Ruggs III was on course to become an elite WR

The wide receiver chose to forego his final year of eligibility with Alabama after the close of the 2019 collegiate season and entered the pool of potential NFL hopefuls for the 2020 season. It is important to note that Ruggs was still able to accumulate 1,716 yards and 24 touchdowns on 98 catches at Alabama.

A ridiculous number of catches for Alabama culminated in a touchdown. This particular aspect of Ruggs’ career led him to be chosen in the first round of the draft, where he was picked up by the Las Vegas Raiders, hoping to add that one element that would change the face of their attack. Ruggs played 20 games for the team and was able to accumulate 50 catches for 921 yards and four touchdowns.

Having been transferred to Northern Nevada Correctional Center, he was still able to complete the remaining coursework and did well enough to receive what proved to be his long-overdue diploma.

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Before Ruggs’ future becomes clear, it would seem that graduating from Alabama was most certainly one of the very few positive occurrences in what has otherwise proven to be one hell of a story of loss, guilt, and aftermath.