Is Desmond Ridder a first-round quarterback prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft? Depending on what day it is and which 2022 NFL Mock Draft you read, the answer could be equal parts yes and no. With less than six weeks until the NFL’s annual selection event, the picture should be crystallizing. Or is it? Let’s find out!
NFL Mock Draft 2022: Desmond Ridder’s draft projections
In the UK, we have a substance called Marmite. Never heard of it? I suspected as much. Marmite is a savory spread made from yeast extract. It’s an acquired taste, which led to a popular branding campaign that asserted that you either love it or you hate it. Anything in-between is simply impossible. Ridder is the Marmite of the 2022 NFL Draft class.
Of course, there is plenty to love. Ridder’s arm is as strong and talented as any quarterback in this class. His mobility and ability to create out of structure are highly desirable. The Cincinnati QB is also a proven leader. Yet, you have to balance that upside with a disturbing lack of accuracy and some questionable in-pocket decision-making. As a result, his draft projection ranges from 51st to 101st across Pro Football Network’s NFL Draft analysts.
Did Ridder’s draft stock change after the NFL Combine?
Heading into the NFL Combine, Ridder was ranked as the 81st player on the Pro Football Network’s Top 300 Big Board. Following the “Underwear Olympics,” the Cincinnati quarterback slightly improved to 78th overall. However, that had more to do with several players slipping behind the divisive quarterback than him elevating his stock.
That’s not to say that Ridder wasn’t impressive in Indianapolis. The Cincinnati quarterback ran a position-leading 4.52 40-yard dash. He also led all QBs in explosion drills, registering a 36″ vertical jump and 10’7″ broad jump. A renowned athlete, all these numbers were expected. But did they help provide any finality or consistency in 2022 NFL Mock Draft landing spots and draft range?
2022 NFL Mock Draft: PFN’s top consensus landing spots
Ridder was a first-round pick in our very first 2022 NFL Mock Draft in March 2021. In his most recent 1-Round Mock Draft, PFN’s Joe Broback kept faith with the Cincinnati quarterback and saw the Detroit Lions using the 32nd overall selection acquired from the Los Angeles Rams to secure their QB of the future.
Additionally, in his latest 3-Round 2022 NFL Mock Draft, PFN’s James Fragoza envisions an even higher landing spot for Ridder. He pairs the Pittsburgh Steelers with the Cincinnati QB, commenting that “Ridder is a far better athlete than Big Ben [Roethlisberger], which opens the offense up a bit.”
PFN Draft Analyst Ian Cummings concurs with Fragoza, placing Ridder in Pittsburgh in his post-Combine 7-Round 2022 NFL Mock Draft. Cummings continues the physical traits theme, saying, “If he can kick a few bad mechanical habits and improve his decision-making, Ridder has the physical talent to be an impact starter at QB.”
However, multiple other 1-Round efforts from myself, PFN Draft Director Cam Mellor, and NFL Analyst Dalton Miller fail to see Ridder assert himself on Day 1. Furthermore, each of those mocks sees quarterback contemporaries such as Malik Willis, Kenny Pickett, Matt Corral, and Sam Howell selected before the Cincinnati signal-caller.
Where does Ridder land on other draft boards?
With a swath of opinions and an even wider variety of potential landing spots and draft range within PFN, how is Ridder considered in the broader draft community? We’ve scoured some of the 2022 NFL Mock Draft landing spots from some well-known NFL Draft voices so that you don’t have to.
NFL.com Draft Analyst Daniel Jeremiah doesn’t see Ridder as a first-round prospect in his latest 2022 NFL Mock Draft. His colleague, Bucky Brooks, also doesn’t feature the Cincinnati quarterback in his 1-Round pre-free agency effort.
Although ESPN’s Todd McShay selects Minnesota pass rusher Boye Mafe for the Lions with the 32nd overall pick in his latest mock, he does include a footnote that suggests Detroit might be open to drafting Ridder or Howell with the final pick of the first round in April.
While some of the biggest names in NFL Draft media don’t forecast Ridder as a first-round selection, there are multiple analysts that agree with PFN’s Cummings and Fragoza’s assessment that the Steelers could see Ridder as the solution. Mark Schofield of the Touchdown Wire, Vinnie Iyer of Sporting News, and Chris Trapasso of CBS all have mock drafts with Ridder landing in Pittsburgh.
