Top 5 steals from day two of the 2022 NFL draft

Desmond Ridder to Falcons (3rd round, 74th overall)

You can make a strong case for Nakobe Dean here as another day two steal of the 2022 NFL draft. Kenneth Walker III is another who should be really good out in Seattle.

But one of my favorite picks is another quarterback — Desmond Ridder going to the Atlanta Falcons with the 74th overall pick.

Ridder is 6-foot-4, 215 pounds and he’s a better athlete than people realize. He completed 62 percent of his passes during his four-year career and he’s got an NFL arm. He isn’t going to wow you with incredible arm strength like a Pat Mahomes, but he’s got a strong arm and he’s accurate.

I love this pick for the Falcons because Ridder is a guy that’s ready to play right away. Marcus Mariota might be the guy this season but if he falters, Ridder is a viable option. And it’s not like he doesn’t have upside. People said the same thing about Dak Prescott.

I’m not saying Ridder is going to be Dak Prescott. But I think they’ve got some similar traits and that’s why this is a great value pick.

I wouldn’t have blinked had Ridder gone in the first round of the draft and for the Falcons to get a potential long-term starter in the third round, is great value and that’s why it could be one of the 2022 NFL draft’s biggest steals.