'He's a Natural Born Leader': Falcons RB Tyler Allgeier on QB Desmond Ridder

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder threw for 708 yards and two touchdowns during his rookie campaign.

Sitting behind Marcus Mariota for a majority of last season, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder spent most of the year just getting comfortable. 

Now with a year of NFL experience behind him, Ridder enters his second career season as the likely Week 1 starter in Atlanta. 

"Certainly his mindset is different when you're out there, you're taking the first reps and guys know that you're anticipated to be the Day 1 starter," head coach Arthur Smith said. "Those are important - the reps he gets with [Drake London], all those guys, that helps. Definitely, your mindset changes, whether I want to pretend like it does or not - yes, it does.

"That's one thing that does help - the consistency of not having to learn a new language in the spring. Where you're not just trying to memorize the play, there's other things going on in the formation."

A third-round pick in 2022, Ridder didn't see the field once over the first 13 weeks last season with Mariota behind center. And despite being named the starting quarterback over the final month of the season, the Falcons strong run game dominated the offensive play-calling. 

In four starts - posting a 2-2 record over that span - the 23-year-old signal caller averaged a mere 177.0 yards through the air while tossing two touchdowns and no interceptions. 

"After having a year under my belt going through a full season and full offseason, it's become a lot more comfortable," Ridder said. "Now we're just trying to work the intricate details of it, just working the ins and outs and knowing the exact why's and why everything is going on. Having a year, it's slowed down tremendous, and now it's just about executing."

Despite fifth-round Tyler Allgeier cracking 1,000+ yards in his first career season and Atlanta drafting Bijan Robinson in the first-round, Ridder has received immense praise for his ability to lead the offense through the early stages of OTAs.

"The confidence," Allgeier said. "He already had the confidence last year, but now he has a year under his belt, learned from [Mariota], and now, he's a natural born leader. Him coming in last year, being with him in the apartments and then now, it's a big step, but he already had the confidence, so we're all confident behind him.

"Just the huddle and a lot of people try to rah-rah and stuff, but with him, it's just natural," said Allgeier. "It just comes natural - just boosting confidence for everyone, it's good."

With a young receiving corps, including former first-round picks Kyle Pitts and Drake London, Ridder looks to propel Atlanta to its first NFC South title since 2016.  

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Follow Riley Sheppard on Twitter @RileyDSheppard.

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