Falcons add another Tide receiver with Ridley

— The last time the Atlanta Falcons picked an Alabama receiver in the first round of the NFL draft, it worked out pretty well. So, when Calvin Ridley was still on the board Thursday night at No. 26, they knew what to do. Roll Tide! The Falcons landed another Nick Saban receiver for their offensive arsenal, adding Ridley to a unit led by Julio Jones. Jones, of course, played at Alabama.

Now, he’s one of the NFL’s best pass catchers. Ridley can’t wait to team up with him.

“I’m very excited to be coming in with Julio,” Ridley said in a conference call, shortly after the Falcons announced their pick near the end of the draft’s first day. “I know I’m going to learn a lot from him and become a better player, a better wide receiver. I’m just very, very happy to be in that organization.”

His excitement was tempered somewhat by where he was picked in the draft.

Flashing the confidence that is a trademark of all great receivers, Ridley was clearly surprised that he didn’t go much higher.

“I’m going to prove a lot of people wrong,” he said. “I’m happy the Falcons selected me, but I could’ve been picked way before. I’m going to work hard and I’m going to prove everybody wrong who always doubted me. I’m going to make everybody believe.”

The Falcons were eager to give quarterback Matt Ryan another deep threat, bolstering an offense that dipped in production last season after leading the NFL in scoring in 2016.

While defensive tackle was a priority, Atlanta couldn’t pass up the chance to grab the 6-foot-1, 189-pound Ridley, who managed to stand out even while playing in a run-oriented offense on Alabama’s national championship team.