Falcons end Desmond Ridder's slide in 3rd round

The Atlanta Falcons selected Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, No. 74 overall.

Ridder - who was projected to be a late first-round pick - became only the second quarterback off the board after Kenny Pickett went to the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 20.

While this year's quarterback class was widely viewed as a weak one, the dramatic slides of Ridder and Malik Willis were still a major surprise.

The former Bearcats standout will likely begin his NFL career as the backup to Marcus Mariota, who joined Atlanta this offseason following Matt Ryan's trade to the Indianapolis Colts.

Ridder was named the AAC Offensive Player of the Year and made the All-ACC first team in 2020 and 2021. He threw for 3,334 yards and 30 touchdowns against eight interceptions in 14 games last season.

Scouting profile: Desmond Ridder

Ridder is far from having a complete profile, but the tools are there for him to turn into a solid starter if given the proper tutelage. The 22-year-old helped lift the Bearcats to new heights during his four seasons, culminating in an appearance in the College Football Playoff. Though his arm isn't a cannon, Ridder's shown the ability to make any throw required - even if his accuracy is still a work in progress at times. He also possesses the mobility teams covet, which he displayed on numerous occasions at Cincinnati by escaping the pocket and using his long strides to pick up big yardage. His 4.52-second 40-yard dash at the combine was the fastest among quarterbacks. While it might take a couple of years to materialize, it wouldn't be a surprise if Ridder had the best career of any passer in this class.