2018 NFL Draft: Ranking the Top-10 wide receivers
By Dana Becker
It’s a very interesting debate for who is the top wide receiver in the 2018 NFL Draft class.
Texas A&M’s Christian Kirk has all the tools, including return skills, to be a future NFL Pro Bowler. But on paper, Alabama’s Calvin Ridley is likely to be picked before him.
Why? Potential is a big reason for that.
When you look at Ridley, it’s hard not to think his best days are ahead of him. As a true freshman with the Crimson Tide, he caught 89 passes for 1,045 yards and seven touchdowns.
Ridley’s numbers dipped a bit the next year, but he rebounded with 967 yards – averaging 15 per catch – and five scores this past season. One think to remember is Alabama is a run-first team that didn’t feature many downfield passes.
When they did go deep, it was Ridley they looked to. His ability to gain separation is key, and you can’t forget that he was going up against several future NFL players each day in practice with Alabama.
Next: NFL Mock Draft 2018: Complete 7-Round projections
Ridley should be the first Crimson Tide wide receiver to be off the board in the first round since 2014 when the Oakland Raiders snagged standout Amari Cooper.