Getty Desmond Ridder #9 of the Cincinnati Bearcats looks.
The 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl festivities kicked off on Monday with Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot in attendance.
And according to The Falcoholic‘s Kevin Knight, Atlanta met Cincinnati Bears quarterback Desmond Ridder.
Cincinnati QB Desmond Ridder confirmed to me that he has met with the #Falcons.
Also mentioned that he models his game after Deshaun Watson and Ryan Tannehill, and that one his favorite players is Julio Jones.
Of course, this meeting might not mean too much but with the Falcons potentially in the market for a quarterback as Matt Ryan‘s contract comes to an end in 2023, then, in that case, it could mean something more.
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Ridder’s Scouting Report
At six-foot-four and 215 pounds, Ridder made himself a name at Cincinnati, throwing for a total of 10,239 yards, 87 touchdowns, and 28 interceptions. He also found success as a runner where he accounted for 2,169 yards and 28 touchdowns on the ground.
Pro Football Network sums up the good and bad about Ridder in their official scouting report:
First off, Ridder has excellent size for the position. Cincinnati lists their quarterback at 6’4″, ensuring that he overshadows many of his contemporaries in the class. While height isn’t the overriding consideration it used to be, it’s certainly a tick in Ridder’s box.
Like Trevor Lawrence in the previous class, Ridder’s height belies a deceptive athleticism. The Cincinnati quarterback moves exceptionally well as a ball carrier. He’s not incredibly fast like a Lamar Jackson, but his long strides allow him to cover ground well.
Ridder also displays stellar change-of-direction ability. He can turn quickly to escape the pocket, and he uses his elusiveness in the open field. The mobility makes him a scoring threat, with 28 rushing touchdowns during his college career.
Ridder is projected to go at some point in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft but no later than the second and after UNC’s QB product Sam Howell.
This TD throw by Desmond Ridder 🎯
Who Ridder Models His Game After
When speaking to the Senior Bowl media this week Ridder shared who he models his game after.
“Deshaun Watson, just from his decision making, his athletic ability,” Ridder said, via the Tennessean. “Then just Ryan Tannehill. One, because of his longevity. Two, for his game management and he’s also a great player.
“Those are two of the players that I really look at to try to model my game after to be the best in the league.”
Watson, who spent the past season with the Houston Texans, didn’t play a single snap as he faces 22 sexual misconduct and assault allegations. However, despite his personal matters, he’s still a quality quarterback to look up to as he finished the 2020 season with career highs across the board with 4,823 passing yards, 22 touchdowns to just 7 interceptions and a 112.4 QB rating. As for Tannehill, he finished last season throwing for 3,734 yards, 21 touchdowns to 14 interceptions topped with an 89.6 QB rating.
Ridder did not mention the Falcons’ own Matt Ryan, which makes sense since he doesn’t have the mobile aspect that Ridder looks to model after. Thus, if the Falcons were to bring on Ridder as one of their draft picks, having a dual-threat QB in Atlanta would be a complete game-changer.
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