As it turns out, the gang won’t all be back together when Alabama shoots for back-to-back championships.
While neither the football program nor the players have confirmed it, al.com, citing unnamed sources, is reporting that wide receiver Calvin Ridley and running back Bo Scarbrough are leaving for the April NFL draft. Alabama’s policy has been to hold a press conference to announce the NFL decisions of its draft-eligible players; that event is expected to happen at some point this week as the deadline for early entry is Monday, Jan. 15.
Ridley is expected to be one of the first, if not the first, receivers taken in the upcoming draft and is viewed as a first-round lock. Scarbrough is part of a deep stable of four- and five-star backs, so his apparent decision to move on is far from surprising.
Ridley led the Crimson Tide in receiving each of the past two seasons. In UA’s run to the 2017 national title, he was easily the Tide’s leading receiver with 63 catches and 967 yards; Scarbrough was next-closest in receptions with 17, Jerry Jeudy in yards with 264. Ridley’s five touchdown catches were second to Henry Ruggs’ six.
In three seasons, Ridley totaled 2,781 yards and 19 touchdowns on 224 catches in what was a run-heavy offense.
Scarbrough was third on the Tide in rushing each of the past two seasons, including 596 this past year. All told, he’ll finish his collegiate career with 1,512 yards and 20 touchdowns.
UPDATED 1:24 p.m. ET: So, of course, almost as soon as I hit “PUBLISH” on this post, Ridley confirmed via Twitter that he is leaving Tuscaloosa early.
Thank you to the UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA for taking great care of me #ROLLTIDE pic.twitter.com/N5JuEOfN28
— CALVIN RIDLEY (@CalvinRidley1) January 10, 2018