Cincinnati QB Ridder taken by Atlanta
LAS VEGAS >> It took 42 selections Friday before a second quarterback was taken in the NFL draft. And it was a proven commodity in college, Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder.
A full 54 spots after Kenny Pickett of Pittsburgh went 20th to the Steelers on Thursday night, Ridder was taken by Atlanta. The Falcons traded longtime starter Matt Ryan to Indianapolis in the offseason and they have Marcus Mariota as the potential starter. Ridder, who led a non-Power Five team to the College Football Playoff for the first time, has a skill set that's been compared to Mariota's.
This is the first draft since 2000 that only one quarterback went in the first two rounds: Pickett this year, Chad Pennington to the Jets back then. It's the latest since 1996 for the second QB to go: Bobby Hoying went 85th
that year.
“We're sitting there waiting and waiting and waiting and we're not getting anything and I finally texted Malik Willis and I'm like `What's going on?'” Ridder said, referring to the Liberty quarterback. “`Man, they don't like us or what?' He was just like `Let's sit and be patient. God is going to do his thing.'”
Willis didn't quite hear his name before Hoying did way back when. The next quarterback chosen, he went to Tennessee at No. 86 when the Titans traded up with the host Raiders — who still hadn't chosen.
They finally went at No. 90, getting Memphis guard Dylan Parham, four spots before another passer, Mississippi's Matt Corral, was taken by Carolina with its first selection since the sixth overall pick.
Before Ridder was called, both players of the year from the Big 12, a standout receiver from an FCS powerhouse, and more trades marked yet another dizzy and busy round.
The drafting began Friday with Houston defensive tackle Logan Hall going to the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay, under new head coach Todd Bowles after Bruce Arians retired last month, owned the spot after trading with Jacksonville the previous night. Bowles' background is on defense, so Hall seems a natural choice. He goes 6-foot-6, 275 pounds and is known for his relentlessness. He comes off elbow surgery and missed the Senior Bowl.
“We need D-linemen,” said Bowles. “We like depth. We play a lot of people down there and platoon a lot of people, so it has no bearing on the other guys.”