Desmond Ridder Sucks, Has No Chance To Become A Franchise QB
It would appear that the public views the 2022 NFL Draft very differently than I do. Most see it as a five horse quarterback race where almost anybody has a chance to emerge as the guy. I see it as a two horse race with a lot of dead dogs who have no business even being considered. Desmond Ridder has officially entered the chat.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but the Cincinnati quarterback can’t play a lick. If you draft him anywhere in the top three rounds and you deserve to be ridiculed on your way out the door after being fired. It’s actually a joke we’re discussing Ridder as anything more than a 6th or 7th round flier guy.
These aren’t just red flags we’re talking about with Ridder. It’s hard to find anything positive that makes me even question whether I’m being too harsh. I’m not and will not be a Jalen Hurts guy either. At least in his case, you could see Hurts was an Alabama level athlete and really improved his throwing mechanics after playing for Lincoln Riley.
With Ridder, the guy just can’t play. He’s not an Alabama athlete. He can’t make throws. He can’t do anything.
The funniest argument I’ve heard is one where we’re going to draft and develop Ridder! Those people do realize that Ridder is a 5th year senior and will turn 23 by the time the season starts. This man already has a kid. He’s not getting much better if at all. Watching Cincinnati this past year was like watching an old March Madness team get hot in the tournament except they have zero NBA talent on the team. Outside of Ahmad Gardner, that statement feels very true.
Ridder deserves credit for one thing. His numbers improved as an old senior playing in a dirt conference where nobody had Cincy’s talent group. A 30-8 TD to INT is nothing to sneeze at. It was the first time Ridder threw more than 20 touchdowns in a season but I won’t go there.
Let’s get to what really matters…
The mobility is overstated. He’s not an SEC athlete and was never recruited to be one. I know what an SEC athlete looks like. It’s called Jordan Davis. Somebody that Ridder couldn’t outrun. If Ridder is Daniel Jones athletic at the next level, call it a miracle.
He’s a terrible pocket quarterback. I broke that down when they played Indiana earlier in the year. His footwork is a mess and never consistent. In that link, you can see him throw some sort of a back foot leaning jumper that ends up getting picked really bad. He was also horrible against Alabama.
Ridder will never be an elite thrower of the football. If you’re going to design an offense for Ridder, it’s going to be that smoke and mirrors nonsense Matt Nagy tried to run with Mitch Trubisky. It won’t work long term but it’s the only way he can have some level of success. Have the guy roll out in boot legs and read half the field. It’s the only way the guy can actually make throws. Of course, something that won’t work long term at the NFL level.
I’m not trying to pick on the guy. I just find it amazing that we’re even having this conversation. Hell, did anybody watch the guy at the Senior Bowl? He quite literally made me want to vomit. He can’t play. Like at all.
Desmond Ridder is not an elite level franchise quarterback and will never become one. I wouldn’t draft the guy anywhere before the 7th round and that’s only if I had a mobile quarterback. Maybe Ridder is good enough to run the scout team practice? That’s about all he’s good for.
