Former Monarch Ridley headed to NFL

Former Monarch star receiver Calvin Ridley declared for the NFL draft Wednesday, two days after capping his junior year with a second national title in three years at Alabama.

Ridley, a projected firstround pick, announced he would forgo his senior year of college football in a tweet.

“Thank you to the UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA for taking great care of me #ROLLTIDE,” he tweeted.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. rates Ridley as the draft’s top receiver and the 10th-best player overall in his big board.

A five-star recruit out of Monarch, Ridley had a stellar three-year collegiate career, in which he totaled 224 receptions, 2,781 yards and 19 touchdowns.

He had his best season as a freshman in 2015. That year, he had 1,045 yards and seven touchdowns on 89 receptions as the Crimson Tide won the national championship over Clemson. Ridley scored a pair of touchdowns in the College Football Playoff semifinal against Michigan State.

The following year, Ridley went for 72-769-7 and finally had a 63-967-5 junior season. Ridley played in the title game all three years at Alabama, scoring the tying touchdown on Monday against Georgia to force overtime in what turned into a 26-23 victory for the Tide.

A Florida High School Athletic Association age rule cut Ridley’s senior high school season at Monarch short after three games, as he was more than 19 years and nine months old. The Under Armour All-America Game participant had 41 catches, 1,131 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior for the Knights.