The Atlanta Falcons ended a 53-pick stretch of not drafting a quarterback by selecting Cincinnati signal caller Desmond Riddle with the 74th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, according to ESPN’s Michael Rothstein.
Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said earlier in the week leading up to the draft that he was hoping to come out of the draft with a new quarterback to add to a roster that already includes Marcus Mariota and Feleipe Franks.
“We don’t want to reach at any points,” Fontenot said. “Our scouting department, led by Kyle Smith, working with our coaches in a collaborative effort, do a great job setting that board, and we stayed true to that board and took the best players off.
“He was meant to be there at that time, and we’re excited to make that call.”
“We get to the second round and we’re sitting there waiting,” Ridder said. “And we’re waiting, and we’re waiting and we don’t get anything. You know, I finally texted Malik. Texted Malik Willis and I’m like, ‘Man, what’s going on? Like, they don’t like us, or what?’
“He was just like, you know, let’s just sit and wait, be patient, God’s going to do his thing. But, you know, it was just a lot. But I’m blessed to be a Falcon.”
