2021 NFL Draft: Desmond Ridder has sneaky first-round upside

Desmond Ridder is an exciting quarterback to keep an eye on throughout the rest of the 2021 NFL Draft process.

Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence stands tall as the clear top prospect in the 2021 NFL Draft class. He is followed relatively closely by some combination of Justin Fields, Zach Wilson and Trey Lance to round out the clear top four quarterbacks in this class. All four of these guys have obvious top 10 upside, but there is some shaky depth behind them at the position.

Right now, the QB5 spot is wide open in the 2021 NFL Draft class. Most consider Alabama’s Mac Jones or Florida’s Kyle Trask to be QB5 in this class, but let’s not forget about Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Desmond Ridder.

Ridder has been Cincinnati’s starting quarterback since his redshirt freshman season of 2018. He has always been a productive player, moving the ball well as both a runner and passer in Cincinnati’s offensive attack.

His physical attributes always stand out on the field as Ridder shows an impressive combination of athleticism and arm talent at the quarterback position. He has a big, strong arm that allows him to hit any throw on the field and can also escape the pocket and make plays in tough situations. Ridder is a quick and explosive runner who can find a crease and fire through for a big gain. He is also a tough and physical runner who can use power to pick up extra yardage at the point of contact.

Ridder is certainly a gifted quarterback whose physical skill-set gives him exciting upside as a potential franchise quarterback at the next level. That being said, Ridder is still a bit of a raw player who needs to work on his decision making and ball placement. Ridder does show impressive accuracy at times, but he is far too inconsistent in that area at this point of his career.

With this in mind, Ridder feels like a perfect project quarterback. His raw talent makes him a real candidate to grow into a franchise quarterback at the next level, but he is not ready for that responsibility right now. A team with a veteran option on the roster taking Ridder and letting him develop from the bench for a year or two would be an ideal situation for the young quarterback.

When we look at the expected 2021 NFL Draft order, teams like the New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers should have Ridder on their radar late in the first round. I could also see a scenario where the Atlanta Falcons or Detroit Lions pass on a quarterback early but trade back into the late first round in order to bring Ridder into their quarterback room.

Simply put, Ridder has the raw talent and ability to be a late first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and there are many teams that would make sense for him in this range. Mac Jones and Kyle Trask are probably more reliable options who would have a better chance to make an immediate impact, but Ridder is the high upside play who makes sense for teams looking to take a more long-term approach.