QB Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati
HEIGHT: 6-4
WEIGHT: 215
HOMETOWN (HIGH SCHOOL): Louisville, KY (St. Xavier)
247 RATING: .8180
STARS: 3
YEAR: Senior
POSITION RANK: 24
CAREER
Passing: 4,609 yards (58.6%), 38 touchdowns, 14 interceptions
Rushing: 1,233 yards (4.2 ypc), 10 touchdowns
2019
Passing: 2,164 yards (55.1%), 18 touchdowns, 9 interceptions
Rushing: 650 yards (4.5 ypc), 5 touchdowns
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Desmond Ridder Breakdown
| STRENGTHS – Touch – Calmness – Pocket presence – Running CONCERNS – Anticipation – Sideline throws – Ball placement – Ball security |
Whether you think it has more to do with the talent surrounding him or not, there’s no doubt that Desmond Ridder is a winner. In his first two years as a starter with the Bearcats, he’s accumulated a record of 22-4 along with an AAC Championship Game appearance. While he won’t dominate any games with his arm, he’s a dual threat quarterback that can impact a game.
His passing needs quite a bit of work, but Ridder can throw a good ball when he focuses on his mechanics. He actually throws the football with great touch, and can drop the ball into tight windows at any moment. Despite not being the best passer, he’s still calm in the pocket and doesn’t rush his progressions. While he has that down, working on his anticipation will help his game tremendously. He’s cautious with his decisions, which allows the defense to make up for any ground they lost on his receivers. If he can dive deeper into the playbook and trust his reads, he’ll become a better passer. One more year as a starter should also help his arm strength, which needs work especially towards the sidelines. When in doubt, Ridder knows what he’s best at, and isn’t afraid to take off.
Anyone watching a Cincinnati game knows that Ridder’s a solid runner. If things break down in the pocket, he knows when to take off and how to elude defenders. He already has four 100-yard rushing games under his belt, and only gets better with more experience. Any improvements as a passer will also open the field up for him to run more too. He just needs to protect the football, as ball security at times can become an issue.
Ridder’s a solid quarterback who needs to improve as a passer. He’ll need more weapons at receiver, but he’s shown that he can get them the football. Becoming more accurate as a passer will help his game in more ways than one.
