Desmond Ridder is a 6’3″ 240 pound running back with an elusive style that helped him lead his team to a perfect regular season. He’s set on becoming the next Alvin Kamara and has already started working towards it by joining New Orleans Saints training camp.
Desmond Ridder’s college career has been a rollercoaster ride. He was the top recruit in the nation, but he had trouble staying on the field and playing at his best. His unpredictable college career has proven why he can become a star in the pros.
If you keep up with NFL Draft rumors and player development, you may be thinking, “Who the hell is Desmond Ridder?”
Ridder is a name you’re probably familiar with, particularly if you’re a college football enthusiast. He guided the Cincinnati Bearcats to the College Football Playoff for the first time, making them the first non-power five club to do so.
Ridder, on the other hand, seems to have gone from a Day 2 draft pick to a possible first-round pick in the previous month. So, what’s the deal?
I’m not an NFL scout, so I can’t comment on what he’s showing these clubs, but I am a graduate of the University of Cincinnati, and I can say this: His collegiate experience was most likely a forerunner of his professional career. He appeared out of nowhere, yet he developed into the star the Bearcats believed he would become, despite their doubts that he would ever take the next step.
With the Cincinnati Bearcats, Desmond Ridder moved from game manager to outstanding quarterback.
Desmond Ridder of the Cincinnati Bearcats celebrates after beating the Houston Cougars in the AAC Championship Game on Dec. 4, 2021. | Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Coming out of high school, Desmond Ridder wasn’t a highly rated prospect. He was a three-star quarterback from Louisville who only received a scholarship offer from one FBS school: Cincinnati.
At the time, the Bearcats were managed by Tommy Tuberville, but when Luke Fickell took over in 2017, Ridder remained. He redshirted that 2017 season, but Cincinnati supporters weren’t expecting him to take over as the team’s quarterback in the following years. Many of them were undoubtedly unaware of his existence.
Ridder, on the other hand, became well known with the UC faithful in 2018. During a game against UCLA in 2018, he replaced starter quarterback Hayden Moore and held the role for the remainder of his career.
It wasn’t, however, a “rest is history” road. Ridder had some difficulties.
Everyone assumed he was the starter moving into 2019 after guiding Cincinnati to an 11-2 record in 2018. However, several supporters demanded that he be benched that season. His completion rate was dismal (55.1 percent ). He was virtually a game manager, missing wide-open passes on a regular basis. He did not lead the Bearcats to victory. They triumphed because Ridder was surrounded by a good squad and was not sloppy with the football.
Those concerns regarding his status as the team’s starting quarterback carried over into the 2020 season. During UC’s first three games that season, he was a liability. In a victory against Army, Ridder completed just 54.5 percent of his passes, and he threw three interceptions against South Florida.
Fans questioned if he was really qualified to coach one of the country’s best teams.
Something, though, clicked after that.
The quarterback threw four interceptions in the first three games of the season, but just two the rest of the way. Ridder led the Bearcats to an unblemished regular-season record by completing 68.5 percent of his passes in the last seven games of the season. They subsequently lost a tight game against the Georgia Bulldogs in the Peach Bowl.
Similarly to how his problems in 2019 continued over into the 2020 campaign, his victory in 2020 carried over into 2021. Last season, Ridder had a career year, passing for 3,334 yards, 30 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He helped UC go unbeaten in the regular season for the second year in a row, earning the school its first-ever berth in the College Football Playoff.
Ridder began his collegiate career as a relative unknown who failed to make routine passes. He finished as the program’s all-time leading quarterback.
Desmond Ridder has the potential to make it big in the pros.
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So, how does Ridder’s collegiate career affect his NFL prospects?
Everything.
While at UC, he shown an unwavering work ethic and a commitment to refining his mechanics, he also developed into the ideal quarterback for today’s NFL game. Ridder is a mobile character that can toss outside of the pocket. If necessary, he can utilize his agility to gain yards on the ground. During his collegiate career, he rushed for over 2,100 yards.
But it isn’t the only thing that makes him a good candidate for being a franchise’s face.
Despite his Louisville roots, Ridder has loved Cincinnati. He built a link with the fans that will remain for the rest of his professional career, no matter how long that may be, and even when he puts up his cleats for the last time. During his career’s highs and lows, the quarterback never allowed the criticism get to him, and he remained humble throughout.
There’s certainly something to be said about a man who was an Academic All-American while coaching one of college football’s best teams and raising his daughter Leighton. Ridder was successful regardless of how much he had on his plate.
Will Desmond Ridder become an NFL franchise quarterback? I’m not sure. However, he demonstrated in college that he had all of the necessary attributes to be a pro great, which is likely why he is rocketing up NFL Draft boards. He’s the sort of player – and person – that a team wants to lead them.
Sports Reference provided the statistics.
In a CBS Sports mock draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers choose a surprising Big Ben replacement at No. 20.
Desmond Ridder is a wide receiver for the New York Jets. He was drafted in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft. His college career proves that he can be a star in the pros. Reference: is desmond ridder married.
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