Desmond Ridder boosting 2021 NFL Draft stock in a big way
Desmond Ridder boosting 2021 NFL Draft stock in a big way.
The 2021 NFL Draft class is a ton of fun at the quarterback position. There is, of course, Trevor Lawrence at the top, but beneath Lawrence, this class has some intriguing depth even if the sample size for each player is not extensive.
One player that many were interested in watching throughout the 2020 season was Cincinnati’s Desmond Ridder, entering his third season for the Bearcats and coming off of a tough season from a completion percentage perspective (55.1).
The talent, however, has been obvious.
Ridder has a great arm but his potential for an offense at the NFL level that emphasizes RPOs will be excellent, even early on.
Ridder has shown tremendous ball placement on downfield throws and there is no question he can push the ball vertically. The biggest questions about his game at this point would be decision making and especially under pressure.
Ridder, like many playmakers at the quarterback position, doesn’t always prefer to “live to play another down” and instead will try to force the issue at times.
This is certainly not an uncommon issue and it is not always a negative for Ridder, either.
Ridder’s decision making has been much better in 2020 than he was a season ago and has proven he has NFL chops, maybe even top 64 type chops…
Against Georgia in the Chick Fil A Peach Bowl, Ridder has shown off his ability to not only escape the pocket and make plays with his legs, but maneuver around the pocket and keep his eyes downfield.
When evaluating quarterbacks for the next level, it’s important not to be looking for a finished product but you certainly like to see at least a few traits in guys. Namely, some of the non-negotiable traits that Ridder has are arm talent, mobility, a good feel for the game, natural playmaking ability, and he’s got quite a bit more experience than a lot of the top guys in the 2021 class.
For instance, someone like Trey Lance only has 17 games to go off of while Ridder has 36 games as the starter and he’s shown improvement each year.
That kind of stuff matters to NFL clubs, even if Ridder’s potential might not be quite as high as someone like Lance.
For my money, a player like Ridder is worth a second-round pick more than someone like Kyle Trask because mobility in today’s NFL is a non-negotiable trait. Winning from the pocket is essential, but you have to be able to create when the pocket breaks down as well.
Desmond Ridder has that ability in spades and will give NFL teams a lot to think about, especially after such a strong performance against Georgia.