Dante Ridgeway Dante DeAndre Ridgeway ( born April 18 , 1984 in Chicago , Illinois ) is an Arena football Wide receiver / Defensive back for the Peoria Pirates of af2 . He was drafted by the St . Louis Rams in sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft . He played college football at Ball State . In his career , Ridgeway has also played for the New York Jets , Cincinnati Bengals and New Orleans Saints . High school career . Ridgeway attended Douglas MacArthur High School . As a senior , he was named team ’ s Most Valuable Offensive and Defensive Player after recording 32 receptions for 570 yards ( 17 . 81 yards per rec . avg . ) and nine touchdowns , returned three punts for touchdowns , was an All - County pick , an All - Big 12 Conference pick , an All - State Honorable Mention selection , and he led his team to an 8 - 3 record and a berth in the Illinois High School Association Football Playoffs . For his career , he recorded 1 , 300 receiving yards and 23 touchdowns . College career . Ridgeway attended Ball State University where he majored in Criminal justice . As a freshman in 2002 , he played in every game , leading the team in receptions with 44 , receiving yards with 556 , and receiving yards - per - game averaging 46 . 33 . He also recorded four touchdowns and was named a co - recipient of the John Hodge Award , which goes to Ball State ' s Most Outstanding Freshman . As a sophomore in 2003 , he was an All - MAC selection , starting every game . He set the school season - record for receptions with 89 and receiving yards with 1 , 075 . As a junior in 2004 , he earned Second - team All - America honors from the " NFL Draft Report " , " AP " , and Walter Camp Football Foundation . He broke the MAC single - season record for receptions with 105 . He also led the country in receptions - per - game with 9 . 55 , receiving yards - per - game with 127 . 18 and total receiving yards with 1 , 399 , the first in school history to record multiple 1 , 000 yard seasons in a career . After his junior season , Ridgeway left school early for the National Football League . In doing so , he became the first player in Ball State history to leave early for the NFL . For his career , Ridgeway had 10 100 - yard receiving games , breaking the previous school record of seven . In 35 career games , he set school career - records with 238 receptions for 3 , 030 yards a 12 . 7 average and 22 touchdowns ( second all - time ) . Professional career . National Football League . Ridgeway was selected in the sixth round ( 192nd overall ) of the 2005 NFL Draft by the St . Louis Rams and on July 27 , 2005 , he signed a three - year contract with the Rams . However , on August 30 , he was waived by the Rams . He was claimed off of waivers by the Cincinnati Bengals the next day , however , he was waived just four days later . He was then claimed off of waivers by the New York Jets on September 4 , 2005 . Ridgeway was on the Jets ' practice squad until he was signed to the active roster on November 8 . In his professional debut , Week 10 against the Carolina Panthers , he did not record any carries or receptions . During the Jets ' Week 11 lost to the Denver Broncos he played on special teams recording one assisted tackle . He also recorded his first career reception , nine yards , and finished the game with two receptions for 26 yards , the second being of 17 yards . During the Jets ' Week 14 win over the Oakland Raiders he recorded an assisted special teams tackle . After the season on January 3 , 2006 , he signed a contract extension as an Exclusive rights free agent . Ridgeway was waived by the Jets on September 6 , 2006 . However he was later signed by the New Orleans Saints in November , 2006 . However , he was released by the Saints on August 7 , 2007 . Then on August 12 , He was then re - signed by the Jets , only to be released on August 27 , 2007 . Then on October 9 , 2007 , he was signed to the Saints ' practice squad . On December 26 , 2007 , he was placed on the practice squad ' s injured list . af2 . After not playing in a NFL game for three seasons , Ridgeway joined the af2 . Later he was assigned to the Peoria Pirates . However , on March 10 , he was placed on the teams " Refused - to - Report " list . After reporting , he was placed on " Injured reserve " on May 6 . In his af2 debut , he recorded nine receptions for 99 yards . Personal . At the 2005 St . Louis Race for the Cure , a marathon to help support the Susan G . Komen Breast Cancer Foundation , Rams players Alex Barron , Zach Bray , Jeremy Calahan , Jerome Carter , Jeremy Carter , Jerome Collins , Clifford Dukes , Ryan Fitzpatrick , Madison Hedgecock , Reggie Hodges , Jamison Vontrell , Matt McChesney , Duvol Thompson , and Ridgeway presented rose s to the breast cancer survivors at the finish line . On November 20 , 2007 , Ridgeway , along with teammates Mike McKenzie , Robert Meachem , Lance Moore , Usama Young , Pierre Thomas , Ronnie Ghent , Jermon Bushrod , Billy Miller , Kevin Houser , Josh Cooper , Zach Strief and Jon Stinchcomb volunteered to help hand out frozen turkey s , stuffing , vegetable s and corn bread mix to a thousand low - income New Orleans families for Thanksgiving . He is the step - son of Ivon Laryece Ridgeway . Also the step - brother of Ivon and Laryece Ridgeway ( Ivon Jr . , Laryece the first / Sr ) .