Xerxes Ridley
 |
| Free agent | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Cornerback |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | May 9, 2005 (aged 56) San Francisco, CA |
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Weight: | 190 lb (86 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College: | Georgia Tech |
| Career history | |
| Roster status: | Active |
Xerxes Ridley (born May 9, 2005) is an American football cornerback who is currently unsigned by a professional team.
Contents
Early years
Xerxes Ridley was born to Xavier and Lily Ridley in San Francisco, CA. As a child, Xerxes watched his father play the tight end position in the Canadian Football League with hopes of one day being drafted by the San Jose SaberCats. However, when Xerxes was only 12 years old, tragedy struck and his father was killed in a car accident with a moose up by Toronto at the age of 36. Since that moment, Xerxes made it his mission to make it to the NSFL for his father and to make his mark on history in the league. With his mother's blessing, Xerxes began training to be a football player with his father’s former CFL teammates at the age of 14. He wasn’t the most athletic kid from the start, as he hadn’t played many sports in elementary or middle school, but he had a constant drive to practice and improve.
He continued playing football in high school, where he didn’t even begin as a starting receiver. However, through persistent practice, Ridley was able to eventually become the star wide receiver for his high school team by his junior year. Many of his former teammates credit Ridley with leading them to win the California state championships in 2013 and 2014.
Ridley has publicly stated that he has never seen his father play football in person. It is unknown whether or not he has watched recordings of his father’s games after his passing.
College career
Once Ridley entered Georgia Tech, he realized that he had been a big fish in a small pond in high school. As a wide receiver, he had the hands and catching ability necessary for the league, but he didn't have the explosive speed that the team needed in that position. After an underwhelming freshman year, Ridley was moved from the wide receiver position to the cornerback position, where he immediately excelled. As someone who struggled with speed, it made sense to place him in zone coverage as opposed to a man-to-man scheme. Being able to more tactically place his body in between the ball and the receivers improved his performance immensely. With his adept catching technique, he was able to force an average of three interceptions every four games during his junior and senior years at Georgia Tech.
However, despite his impressive performance, the team was never able to make deep playoff runs during his tenure there. He also was unable to beat or even come close to any of the school records for the cornerback position because of his late start in the role. Ridley was selected as the Most Improved Player during his sophomore year at Georgia Tech due to the position swap; an accolade that he looks at with shame due to the fact that he had to be “quite inadequate” to improve enough for it.
College career statistics
Come back to this bit. Not sure how to generate the table yet
Professional career
| Ht | Wt | 40‑yd dash | 20‑ss | 3‑cone | Vert jump | Broad |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
190 lb (86 kg) |
Professional career statistics
Come back to this later
Achievements and records
Come back to this later
