Sam’s Film Room: Calvin Ridley is the only WR worth a first round pick in the draft

It seems like every few NFL Drafts, the University of Alabama produces a first round wide receiver talent. In 2011, it was Julio Jones; in 2015, it was Amari Cooper; this season it looks like Calvin Ridley. Coming out of high school, Ridley was the best wide receiver prospect in the country and immediately made an impact on the field. He did this with crisp route running and top tier speed to get open. In my opinion, this ability makes him the best receiver in this class. If he can improve on beating press coverage at the line of scrimmage, he can consistently win in the NFL as well.

For Ridley’s pro comparison, he reminds me of Pierre Garcon. Both are great route runners and have the ability to snag balls out of the air. I feel like Garcon is a much better run blocker and he’s more angry after the catch, but Ridley’s route running will allow him to immediately contribute on day one.

How this might affect the Seattle Seahawks

After Paul Richardson and Jimmy Graham left in free agency, the Seahawks might be in the market for another wide receiver. This year’s draft has a lot of Day 2 talent if John Schneider and Pete Carroll decide to trade down. In my opinion, they still have more pressing holes - offensive line and cornerback - but it wouldn’t surprise me if they take a later round wide receiver as well. In my opinion, I think Ridley could end up on a team like the Arizona Cardinals based on their current roster. He could learn from Larry Fitzgerald while establishing himself as a force in the league. Other teams that I can see him going to are the Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, and Buffalo Bills if they don’t take a quarterback.

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