Falcons grab Bearcats quarterback Ridder in third round
FLOWERY BRANCH, GA. — Former Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder, who was 44-6 as a starter and guided the Bearcats to the College Football Playoff last season, was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the NFL Draft on Friday night.
“We stayed true to the integrity of the board,” Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said.
Ridder lasted until the third round, where he was chosen 74th overall, because he’s considered a developmental prospect.
“We liked his skill set,” Falcons coach Arthur Smith said. “We like his leadership qualities.”
Ridder led the Bearcats to the Peach Bowl against Georgia on Jan. 1, 2021. The Bulldogs needed a Jack Podlesny field goal from 53 yards out with three seconds left to beat the Bearcats 24-21.
The Bearcats posted a big win over Notre Dame last season on their way to a meeting with Alabama in the Cotton Bowl in a CFP semifinal.
“He was very consistent,” Smith said. The Falcons traded longtime quarterback Matt Ryan to the Colts for a third-round pick. Marcus Mariota, who was signed to a modest two-year contract, and Feleipe Franks are the quarterbacks on the roster.
Ridder believes he’s a good fit for the Falcons’ offense.
“I think it’s something that I fit really well into,” Ridder said virtually Friday. “They had picked up Marcus Mariota, as a lot of people know, I compare myself to. I’m really excited to be there and get there with him. He was a great quarterback at the college level.”
By taking Ridder, the Falcons elected to pass on Liberty quarterback Malik Willis, who was selected 12 picks later by the Titans.
During Ridder’s prolific career at Cincinnati, he completed 810 of 1,304 passes
(62.1%) for 10,239 yards, 87 touchdowns and only 28 interceptions. He finished with a passer rating of 145.8.
Ridder projected to go late in the first round or early in the second round.
“Sitting there obviously last night and not expecting where I was going to go, then obviously only seeing Kenny (Pickett) get picked up,” Ridder said. “Kind of had me, like, we are going to go tomorrow. No early tomorrow, we get to the second round and we are waiting, waiting, and we don’t get anything.”
Ridder started texting Willis. “I was like, ‘What’s going on?’” Ridder said. “‘They don’t like us or what?’ He was like, ‘Let’s just sit and wait, be patient. God is going to do his thing.’ But you know, it was just a lot. I’m blessed to be a Falcon. I’m excited to get down there and work.”
Ridder played in the Senior Bowl, and that’s where he first met some of the Falcons. The Falcons went to Ridder’s Pro Day.
“Basically brought the whole staff with them and had a good about hour-and-half, two-hour meeting,” Ridder said. “Some of it was broken up into film and other parts of it was broken up into conversations. I think the interactions between the both of us and coach (Dave) Ragone and (Fontenot), they all went really well. I think we hit it off really well.”
Things went so well that the Falcons didn’t feel like they needed to invite Ridder in for one of their 30 private visits.
Former Penn State outside linebacker Arnold Ebiketie, who has the self-anointed nickname Dr. Pass Rush, and former Montana State linebacker Troy Andersen were selected by the Falcons in the second round.