2022 NFL Draft: Desmond Ridder a legit dual-threat at QB

Strengths

Although Ridder will be a redshirt senior at Cincinnati this season, he doesn’t turn 22 until August 31, 2021. This means he’ll have ample starting experience without being so old that he’s already reached his ceiling.

He also plays winning football as Cincinnati has gone 31-5 during the games he’s started and they’ve finished in the AP Top-25 each of his three years.

His accuracy is trending upward as he improved his completion percentage from 55.1% in 2019 to 66.2% in 2020.

There’s no doubt that Desmond Ridder has NFL arm strength. In addition to that, he’s a tremendous athlete who would be well-suited to running some of the more newfangled zone read and run-pass-option offenses in the NFL.

His athleticism also allows him to adeptly throw on the run, improvise when plays break down and make something out of nothing.

He can absolutely make the requisite downfield throws and zip the ball into tight windows. He can consistently hit receivers on slant patterns.

Ridder is a tough competitor who isn’t afraid to run around and take big hits. He has a never-say-die attitude and tries to make the most out of every play.

He makes good decisions with the ball as evidenced by his career 57-20 touchdown to interception ratio.