Falcons QB Desmond Ridder Praises 'Big Brother' Marcus Mariota

Is Atlanta the new City of 'Brotherly Love?'

The Atlanta Falcons face one of the few quarterback battles in the NFL this offseason.

But for "brothers" Marcus Mariota and Desmond Ridder, it doesn't feel like a competition.

"He’s like a big brother to me," Ridder told D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "He’s taken me under his wing. He’s taught me some of the nuances of not only becoming an NFL quarterback but just an NFL player in general. So, I’m excited to keep learning from him and keep growing."

Mariota and Ridder are both new to Atlanta. Mariota arrived in March after a two-year stint with the Las Vegas Raiders, while Ridder came at the end of April after being selected in the third round of this year's NFL Draft.

A third-round pick hasn't won the starting quarterback job since 2012, but Ridder will certainly make it difficult for the Falcons to not go with him Week 1.

Both Mariota and Ridder have impressed Smith during the summer's early stages. On Ridder, Smith said that he's, "light years ahead of most young quarterbacks from the neck up."

Ridder's intangibles were arguably the best in his draft class, and his work in pre-draft meetings largely impressed teams. With an impressive 44-6 record as the starter at Cincinnati, Ridder closed his college career as the third-winningest quarterback in NCAA history.

While the Falcons will likely begin the season with Mariota as the starter, Ridder should get a chance to prove himself at some point during his rookie year. Smith normally doesn't just toss compliments around, so with Atlanta's boss holding Ridder's mental traits in such high regards, that date might be sooner rather than later.