The Cons:
Being undersized matters less and less in the NFL. However the undersized superstars at the wide receiver position have all been guys who can out jump their competition. Antonio Brown plays big despite being 5’10”. Odell Beckham is 5’11” but it seems that he can catch anything. The one thing you don’t see from the 6’0″ Ridley, is the ability to catch the 50/50 balls.
I watched a lot of Alabama football and I went back and studied Ridley. You know what I didn’t see? Contested catches. At the NFL combine he only bench pressed 15 reps and his vertical jump and broad jump don’t show freak athleticism or explosion. What hurts Ridley is that guys like D.J. Moore and Christian Kirk offer similar route running and similar speed but can go up and get the football in a way that Ridley can’t. Courtland Sutton is 6’4″ and is always open over his head.
Ridley is going to have some trouble getting jammed at the line of scrimmage. He is probably going to do best in the slot. Ridley is talked about as a sure thing when he is probably more of a boom or bust player. He is certainly limited. It would be nice to see more production from Ridely. The not elite production has been explained by Jalen Hurts poor quarterback play, but that isn’t an excuse for the other receiver prospects. Moore caught 80 passes for the Maryland Terrapins and trust me their quarterback play was borderline unwatchable.
The Bottom Line:
Next: 3 reasons Derrius Guice makes sense at pick 16
Calvin Ridley is an exciting player. He could be a great player. My only point today, is that he is less of a sure thing than he is being sold. Many members of the Ravens Flock have convinced themselves that this draft is a Ridley or bust kind of deal. I have Sutton, Moore and Kirk ahead of Ridley right now. They bring more to the table. I would be excited if the Ravens took Ridley because I see him as a potential superstar. It would just be a cautious optimism, not complete relief that the Ravens finally have found their guy.