Success in the NFL can take a couple of years for some players. Quarterbacks, especially, often need a year or two to feel totally comfortable with the speed of the game. Wide receivers tend to make their mark quickly. Such is the case in Atlanta, where Calvin Ridley rookie cards are likely to be hot commodities for some time, after a strong start to his career.
Calvin’s Chronicles
It didn’t take long for Ridley to be face top tier competition on the gridiron. The Coconut Creek, Florida native played in the same Pop Warner League as Lamar Jackson, Marquise Brown and Trayvon Mullen.
His star continue to rise through youth football and beyond as he ended up as the number one ranked wide receiver in the 2015 high school class by numerous national media outlets including ESPN, 247Sports, Rivals and more.
The young Ridley wisely committed to play for the University of Alabama and legendary coach Nick Saban. He received immediate playing time as a freshman and never looked back. During his three years in Tuscaloosa, he was an All-SEC First Team selection, an All-SEC Second Team selection, a two-time SEC champion and a member of two Crimson Tide National Championship teams.
Ridley passed on playing his senior season and entered the 2018 NFL draft where he was selected 26th overall by the Atlanta Falcons.
The speedy wideout wasted no time proving himself in Hotlanta, as he had a Falcons team rookie record 10 touchdowns in his first season in the league and looks to have a long, productive career ahead of him.
Here’s a three-tiered look at some Ridley cards for any budget.
Emerging Star Tier
1. 2018 Panini National Treasures #185 Calvin Ridley JSY AU RC
When looking for any players high-end releases, the National Treasures line is always in the upper echelon of the conversation. This Ridley example offers a larger than usual memorabilia piece coupled with an autograph (yes, his auto is, well, interest, accompanied by an early shot of Ridley in this Falcons gear. Numbered to 99, it’s considered the top of the line Ridley rookie and you can check out recent selling prices here.
2. 2018 Panini Impeccable #104 Calvin Ridley HEL PAT AU RC
This elegant example of a Ridley rookie card features a picture, somewhat artistically done, accompanied by a piece of a football helmet and a patch from his uniform, offering a unique memorabilia card and, in turn, a higher end Ridley rookie card.
3. 2018 Panini Contenders #109A Calvin Ridley AU/100* RC/(ball in right arm)
There are two versions of Ridley’s Panini Contenders RC, with one variation picturing him with the ball in his left arm and the other, this selection, picturing him with the football in his right arm.
The Contenders Rookie Ticket autographs are as highly regarded as any rookie card in the hobby and this Ridley version is no different. The name recognition paired with the SP factor land this example on the top tier of the list. They remain somewhat modestly priced, but that may not last long.
First Round Pick Tier
1. 2018 Panini Gold Standard #207 Calvin Ridley JSY AU/99 RC
The Gold Standard rookie cards offer just that- a gold, standard sticker auto with a smaller piece of memorabilia. This is a nice second tier option for any Ridley collector or someone looking to make a small investment in his future and in potential future profits for themselves.
Selling prices have been remarkably low, so scooping one up and holding would be a good idea.
2. 2018 Immaculate Collection #109 Calvin Ridley JSY AU RC
Immaculate tends to offer pretty good value for a super high-end release. This particular issue has an early picture of Ridley in this Falcons gear coupled with a memorabilia piece and an autograph. There is a plethora of subset and insert options in this product, ranging from helmets to jerseys to patches to quad and multiplayer autographs and memorabilia options.
3. 2018 Panini One #15 Calvin Ridley JSY AU/199 RC
This piece hails from the famous one card box of a Panini release. Encapsulated right out of the box, the Ridley rookie is a nice RPA with an attractive patch and an on-card autograph encased for prosperity. This is a mid-level rookie card out of a upper tier priced product. As for now, prices are modest.
Roll Tide Tier
1. 2018 Limited #106 Calvin Ridley JSY AU/125 RC
Ridley rookies are so affordable at this point that you can find a jersey/autograph/rookie numbered to under 200 copies on the lowest tier of our list. This fan favorite product showcases an on-card Ridley Auto at the top of the card in a whited area followed underneath by a rookie photo shoot image of Ridley with a nice and generally multi-colored swatch featured. There’s another version numbered to 75. Both are inexpensive.
2. 2018 Absolute #161 Calvin Ridley JSY AU/100 RC
Absolute is another fan favorite brand that, in Ridley’s case, offers a very affordable Jersey Auto Rookie numbered to a mere 100 cards. Yes, it’s a sticker auto but it also has an attractive horizontal design with three memorabilia pieces. Think of it as an upper tier product at a lower tier price point.
3. 2018 Certified #211 Calvin Ridley Freshman Fabric JSY AU/175 RC
Again, we find another fan favorite product on the lowest tier in Panini Certified. The former Alabama star’s card offers a foil design with a large memorabilia piece on the left hand side and a sticker autograph. The image shows Ridley blazing down field in what we can only imagine as a rookie photo shoot touchdown strike. Limited in number, but not too limited, it’s a familiar rookie brand at a pretty attractive price.
You can see all of Calvin Ridley’s rookie cards currently listed on eBay here and check out a live list of the most watched auctions for all of his cards below.
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