The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
04.30.2016 | Football
Former Longhorn selected with 116th pick overall
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CHICAGO, Ill. – Former Texas Longhorns defensive tackle Hassan Ridgeway was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2016 National Football League Draft. Ridgeway, who was picked during Saturday's fourth round, was the 116th selection overall. He is the 336th Longhorn to be drafted into the NFL since 1938. From Mansfield, Texas, Ridgeway declared for the NFL Draft following his junior season campaign. During his four-year career, which included a redshirt campaign as a true freshman in 2012, Ridgeway appeared in 36 games with 18 career starts. He finished his Longhorns career with 92 tackles, including 9.5 sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss.
"Words can't express how I was feeling when I got the call," Ridgeway told the media Saturday afternoon. "It was amazing. The first person I talked to was the general manager. That was with my mom, she was right there with me. It was just a lot of emotion and it was just great.
"The team that wanted me the most got me. The team that obviously sees I'm going to be able to flourish there, in their defense and what they bring, I can fit there, so obviously that's the best place you want to go, especially when an organization sees you're a good fit for them, too."
"Hassan is an outstanding young man with great character so Indianapolis is getting a tremendous person. He's a hard worker and is very hungry to learn," Longhorns head coach Charlie Strong said. "Ridgeway is big, strong and powerful, a guy who can be a problem in one-on-one match-ups, and someone who can also create his own rush. It's very seldom you can find an inside guy who can create his own pass rush, Ridgeway is one of those guys who can do that. He can play both the run and the pass equally well. I just look forward to watching him play on the next level. I saw a ton of development here, and he's only going to get better because he's still learning the game."
A prep All-American who played in the 2012 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, Ridgeway continued to garner accolades throughout his years in the burnt orange. Ridgeway was named a 2015 honorable mention All-Big 12 selection and being named to the 2015 preseason watch list for the Outland Trophy. After starting his career as a defensive end, Ridgeway played his final two seasons at defensive tackles.
During the 2015 season, Ridgeway played in the first 11 games, including eight consecutive starts, before missing the regular season finale against Baylor due to injury. He led the team with two fumble recoveries to go along with 36 tackles, 3.5 sack and 6.5 tackles for loss. Ridgeway registered at least three tackles in seven games and had a season-high six tackles in a week two win over Rice. One of Ridgeway's standout games came in a setback against Oklahoma State, where he tied his season-high with six tackles to go along with one sack, 1.5 tackles for loss and a 34-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown. The 6-foot-3, 314 pound tackle was named Defensive Player of the Game after tallying four tackles against Kansas State.
As a sophomore in 2014, Ridgeway played in all 13 games and started the final 10 at defensive tackle. He was second on the team with 6.0 sacks and fourth with 11.0 tackles for loss. In a win over North Texas, Ridgeway earned Co-Defensive Player of the Game honors following 2.0 sacks to go along with four total tackles. In his first career start against Kansas, Ridgeway registered a career-high seven tackles.
As a redshirt freshman in 2013, he played as a reserve defensive tackle in the first 12 games and was fourth on the team with five quarterback pressures. Rideway recorded three tackles, including one for a loss, one pass breakup and one QB pressure vs. New Mexico State. Some other highlights from his inaugural campaign on the field for the Longhorns included a season-high six tackles against BYU and strong performances against Big 12 foes Iowa State, Oklahoma and TCU.
Ridgeway, who didn't begin playing football until 14, played for Coach Jeff Hulme at Mansfield High School where he was an All-American, All-State, two-time All-Area and two-time All-District performer. During his time at UT, Ridgeway majored in applied learning and development with a minor in social work. He was a member of the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll in the fall of 2014.
NOTES
- Texas has had at least one player selected in the first four rounds of the draft in 15 of the last 16 years, dating back to 2001.
- Texas has had a defensive tackle selected in three of the last five years, including Malcom Brown in the first round by the New England Patriots in 2015, and Kheeston Randall in seventh round by the Miami Dolphins in 2012.
- Ridgeway becomes the first Longhorn to be selected by the Colts since TE Kerry Cash in the fifth round of the 1991 draft, and the first defensive lineman chosen by the franchise since DE Bill Atessis in the second round of the 1971 draft. Overall, he is the 14th Texas player to selected by the Colts in their history.
- The selection of Ridgeway marks the ninth year out of the last 10 that a Longhorns defensive lineman has been drafted with 13 total being picked in that span, six of which have been defensive tackles. The one year that a Longhorns defensive lineman was not selected (2014), Jackson Jeffcoat signed as an undrafted free agent and is still active in the NFL.
