New England Patriots receive high grades in 2018 NFL Draft first round
Atlanta Falcons No. 26: Alabama WR, Calvin Ridley
With the 26th overall pick, the Atlanta Falcons were able to add to their already talented offensive with the selection of Calvin Ridley from Alabama. After the recent loss of Taylor Gabriel, there was a slight need for a wide receiver in Atlanta, and they got arguably the best one in the draft.
At Alabama, Ridley really didn’t get a chance to shine a whole lot in an offense that focused on running the football and not turning it over. However, Ridley was still able to accumulate some good stats despite the offensive strategy and poor play from the quarterback position.
With the Falcons, Ridley will be joining one of the best offensives in the league and will also have one of the best quarterbacks in the league throwing to him. Having Julio Jones to learn from will only help Ridley reach his potential, as this was a great landing spot for him.
The addition of Ridley should once again help the Falcons have one of the top offenses in the league. Also, it can help take some of the defensive pressure off Jones, as Ridley will be a threat to hurt defenses right away in the NFL. Considering how late they picked Ridley in the first round and the type of player he can become, this was a strong pick by Atlanta.