Calvin Ridley is a wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons. He played high school football at Coconut Creek, Florida, and was rated the top wide receiver prospect coming out of the 2015 class. Ridley would commit to the University of Alabama. Calvin Ridley was given playing time the moment the season started and finished his freshman year with 89 catches for 1,045 yards and seven touchdowns which would all be highs for his college stats. He was a steady producer and was always involved in the gameplan, as he commanded a 29.7% (89th percentile) College Target Share.
Calvin Ridley declared for the 2018 NFL draft after his junior year. At the combine, he ran a 4.43 (85th percentile) 40-yard dash and measured in with a 75 3/4-inch wingspan with 9 1/8-inch hand size. He would be drafted in the first round with the 26th pick by the Atlanta Falcons shortly after division rival Carolina selected future All-Pro D.J. Moore with the 24th pick.
His career got off to a fiery start when he was named Offensive Rookie for the Month of September for catching six touchdowns in his first four games. He would later break the Falcons single-season receiving touchdowns by scoring ten touchdowns, and finished the year leading all rookies in receptions, Receiving Yards, and receiving touchdowns. He was named to the Pro Football Writers Associations’ All-Rookie Team. The following season, he continued to be a contributor to the team, but his season was cut short when he suffered an abdominal Injury in week 14. Ridley would bounce back the following season ranking No. 1 in Air Yards, and No. 2 in Red Zone Targets amongst all wide receivers. He was named to the Associated Press’ All-Pro 2nd Team.
Unfortunately, during the 2021 season, his snaps and other peripheral numbers would drop as Ridley announced on Twitter that he was stepping away from football due to mental health reasons. There have been no indications that he plans to leave the game of football, and teams across the league have looked into trading for Ridley. He is still under contract with the Falcons, but will sit out the 2022 season after reciving a gambling suspension after the NFL found he was betting on games while away from the team in 2021.
