After Minkah Fitzpatrick made his deal official with Adidas, two more University of Alabama standouts signed endorsement deals.
According to Darren Rovell, sports business reporter for ESPN, wide receiver Calvin Ridley and cornerback Anthony Averett inked contracts with Nike.
Ridley, a projected top-20 pick in this year’s NFL Draft, caught 63 passes for 967 receiving yards with five touchdowns last season. The 6-foot-1, 189-pound target finished his career with 224 receptions for 2,781 yards and 19 scores.
A former five-star prospect, Ridley earned first-team All-SEC honors in 2017 and was a two-time College Football Playoff National Champion.
Averett, who projects as a second-round selection, collected 96 tackles during his tenure – totaling 48 stops in 2016 and 2017. He recorded 16 pass breakups as a two-year starter, helping the Crimson Tide’s secondary shut down some of college football’s most elite receivers.
Per NFL.com, both guys are listed as potential starters while Ridley’s grade of 6.83 gives him a “chance to become a Pro Bowl-caliber player.” The 2018 NFL Draft will start tonight at 8:00 pm CT via AT&T Stadium in Dallas and can be seen on ESPN, Fox Sports and NFL Network.
Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
