Falcons Meet QB Desmond Ridder; Draft 'The Next' Deshaun Watson or Ryan Tannehill?

University of Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder has his model.

And the Atlanta Falcons have had their meeting.

According to The Falcoholic, Atlanta has engaged in a meeting with the 6-4, 215-pound Ridder, projected by some to leap from this week's 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. to a late-first-round slot in the April NFL Draft.

But first, that meeting, which we assume included the likes of Falcons head coach Arthur Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot, as they are of course in attendance.

We don't know what the Falcons' thinking is yet regarding finding an heir to quarterback Matt Ryan; Atlanta passed on that opportunity in last year's draft. But we know that in some ways, Ridder fits the mold of a player the Falcons could take after their high first-rounder, should he somehow remain available later.

And Ridder himself has a "mold'' when it comes to his QB models.

“Deshaun Watson, just from his decision making, his athletic ability,” Ridder said. “Then just Ryan Tannehill. One, because of his longevity. Two, for his game management and he’s also a great player.

“Those are two of the players that I really look at to try to model my game after to be the best in the league.”

There's no room for snark here, so we probably don't need to point out that Ridder - who in his time at Cincinnati threw for 10,239 yards and 87 TDs while also rushing for 2,169 yards and 28 touchdowns - isn't talking about Watson in particular as a "role model,'' as the Houston Texans QB remains in legal limbo as he faces 22 sexual misconduct and assault allegations.

Same with Tannehill, really; he is certainly a relative success, though at this moment - due to the Tennessee Titans' first-round playoff ouster - his star isn't exactly shining.

Can Ridder do anything in the NFL, though, along the lines of Tannehill or even Watson? Writes: Pro Football Network: "Ridder has excellent size ... moves exceptionally well as a ball-carrier. He’s not incredibly fast like a Lamar Jackson, but his long strides allow him to cover ground well ... Ridder also displays stellar change-of-direction ability. He can turn quickly to escape the pocket, and he uses his elusiveness in the open field. The mobility makes him a scoring threat.''

Ridder in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, bringing to Atlanta a QB to be developed ... and then to leave free to roam as a passer and a runner? That's worth meeting about.