Atlanta Falcons: Calvin Ridley Will Be Steal Of 2018 NFL Draft

For some reason, no one wanted wide receiver Calvin Ridley. It was expected the talented player would fall no further than No. 16, but the Atalanta Falcons looked up at 23 and saw the player they may not need, but had to have.

But why? Why did Ridley fall and why did the Falcons welcome him with open arms?

There were reports earlier last week that Julio Jones may want out of Atlanta. He cleared his Social Media Accounts of almost all Atlanta Falcons related material and the internet went into a frenzy. But what if he was just doing a bit of spring cleaning? There’s no reason to believe he wants out of Atlanta, right? I mean, look at his career and what’s he’s been able to do while paired with Matt Ryan. Jones is considered one of the two best receivers in the NFL right along with Antonio Brown. But him leaving is not true. I hope not.

Maybe this was a ploy to get the attention of the Falcons’ brass. And if so, then it’s safe to say that it worked.

The Atlanta Falcons have been one of the top passing teams since his arrival but Jones has never had the help like Jerry Rice had with John Taylor or that Amari Cooper had with Michael Crabtree. But that’s all about to change in 2018 with Calvin Ridley. Nevermind the Alabama connection they share, the two receivers together could be a nightmare for opposing secondaries.

In 2017, Ridley, while with the Crimson Tide caught 63 passes for 967 yards and five touchdowns. While not as explosive as Jones or Cooper coming out of college, Alabama, during his tenure was not a passing offense while being led by Jalen Hurts. But this is not Alabama and Ryan is no Hurts.

Is Calvin Ridley Ready To Explode For the Falcons?

The Falcons have relied on Jones for yards and while Mohamed Sanu Sr. finished 2017 with 53 receptions for 675 yards and 4 touchdowns, the Falcons need more. They could have addressed some glaring issues on the defensive side of the ball, but why pass up on a talent like Ridley?

With his speed and hands, Calvin Ridley could easily take over as the second receiver. To understand the Falcons’ offense, just look at the targets between Sanu and Jones. In 2017, Jones was targeted 148 times and Sanu 96. Give Ridley Sanu’s targets, and he will provide more than 10.5 yards per catch. This is why the Falcons took no time when they saw that Ridley was still on the board. While Jones is still the leader of the pack, a second player, who Jones can tutor could have Ryan back in MVP talks and the Atlanta Falcons back in the Super Bowl.

While analysts and fans will look to Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, Saquon Barkley or others for ROY, Ridley could come in and steal the spotlight from them all.

Mark Wilson

Mark has been covering Sports and Entertainment for the past six years. His work has been featured on Bleacher Report, ESPN, Fox Sports, Teen Vogue, and many other websites.