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Bears Draft Riley Ridley WR Georgia


Bigbear72

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Ridley doesn't have the physical talents of some of these other WRs but clearly route running is massively important with Ridley following Miller from last year...this is a really nice pick up who can play inside or out...technician on the field with quality hands...had you told me we picked him with our original 3rd round pick I would have though we had got value...in the 4th it's a clear steal.

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BACKGROUND: A four-star wide receiver recruit out of high school, Cavin Riley Ridley started his prep career at Monarch High School where he posted 25 catches for 586 yards and six touchdowns as a junior. He transferred to Deerfield Beach for his senior year and finished with 500 receiving yards and four scores. Ridley was a top-50 receiver in the 2016 recruiting class and passed on an offer to join his older brother at Alabama because he wanted to be his “own man.” He originally committed to South Carolina before his brother suggested he check out Georgia where Kirby Smart was recently hired. Riley decommitted from the Gamecocks and signed with the Bulldogs. His older brother (Calvin) was an All-SEC receiver at Alabama and first-round pick (26th overall) of the Atlanta Falcons in the 2018 NFL Draft. Ridley goes by his middle name to avoid confusion with his older brother’s similar first name. He skipped his senior season and entered the 2019 NFL Draft.

STRENGTHS: Looks good on the hoof with a tall, muscular frame…detailed route-runner…pushes patterns to proper depth with little wasted motion in/out of breaks…deadly on double-moves, understanding how to force cornerbacks off-schedule…hands-catcher with reliable hand-eye coordination…comfortable with throws away from his frame…excellent body control along the sideline…physical after the catch and won’t escape out of bounds (not a high volume tackle-breaker but goes down swinging)…finishes as a blocker and always looks for his next victim…nine touchdown catches in 2018 tied for second most in a season at UGA.

WEAKNESSES: Adequate speed for the position but lacks explosive gears…NFL cornerbacks will match his burst…not elusive after the catch or a big-play threat (only two catches of 30-plus yards in 2018)…gives effort as a blocker but his angles and technique require attention…arrested for misdemeanor marijuana possession (March 2017) after a traffic stop (disciplined internally by the coaches)…below-average production with career stats that look more like single-season production.

SUMMARY: A two-year starter at Georgia, Ridley lined up as the “Z” receiver in the Bulldogs’ pro-style scheme, occasionally working out of the slot. Despite the underwhelming production, he led the team in catches, receiving yards and touchdown receptions in 2018 for an offense that prioritized ground control and spreading the wealth through the air (trying to be the first wide receiver drafted top-50 without a 600-plus yard receiving season in college since Eddie Royal in 2008). Ridley isn’t a quick-twitch athlete and lacks the sudden acceleration to threaten defenses on speed alone, but he is smooth in/out of the drive phase with natural body control and ball skills. Overall, Ridley might not be as dynamic as his older brother, but he plays bigger and shows similar polish as a route runner, projecting as a better pro than college pass catcher.

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I think the 2019 role for Ridley is that filled by Bellamy in 2018 but with FARRRRRRRR more upside - top depth for our top 3 guys with some run in 4WR sets and definitely in the red zone. Said frequently with Wims that I love how Georgia WR BLOCK too. Ridley is no exception. 

With the 2 picks so far it seems pretty clear that the plan is ideally for Cordarrelle Patterson to be a $5M kick returner in 2019. 

Everything remains Mitch-centric. If he continues to progress, with this group of skill guys and that defense, our team could be SO GOOD... 

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Okay I just finished watching his highlights and then LSU, AL.   I like him.

But here is my hot take that I know most will disagree with me on and I don't care.  Wims is the better football player between the two. 

Ridley will unfairly get more chances and fan assumptions of being better because he is 4th roound pick and Wims is 7th. 

Difference isn't huge.  Ridley is a bit faster on film and has a bit better movement, but they are both 50/50 ball players and of the two Wims is bigger and more of a bully.  

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5 minutes ago, dll2000 said:

Okay I just finished watching his highlights and then LSU, AL.   I like him.

But here is my hot take that I know most will disagree with me on and I don't care.  Wims is the better football player between the two

Ridley will unfairly get more chances and fan assumptions of being better because he is 4th roound pick and Wims is 7th. 

Difference isn't huge.  Ridley is a bit faster on film and has a bit better movement, but they are both 50/50 ball players and of the two Wims is bigger and more of a bully.  

As an outside threat you may be right...but Ridley is far more versatile and will back up the slot as well as outside which you wouldn't get from Wims.

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14 minutes ago, dll2000 said:

That Swift guy was a player that kept flashing when I was watching Ridley. 

Deandre Swift is a game changer but had some problems fumbling late in the season. He will be a Junior this year.

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1 minute ago, Sugashane said:

I like that he really keeps his speed in his cuts, just a really smooth route runner and doesn't let the ball into his body. Super competitive. IDK why he reminds me of Chad Johnson so much when I watch him, but that is exactly who I think of.

That's really weird cause T.J Houshmandzadeh was the guy I though he was like 😂

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