The Atlanta Falcons may have surprised some by selecting USC wide receiver Drake London in the first round over the weekend, but by the end of the 2022 NFL draft, it was clear the team had a plan.
Most draft analysts gave favorable grades to the Falcons for their eight-player rookie class. Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling listed the team among the NFL’s biggest winners, mainly for landing Cincinnati QB Desmond Ridder in round three.
Ridder wasn’t expected to go in the top 10, but it was widely believed he’d go in the mid-to-late first or early-second round. Obviously, the Bearcats signal-caller fell way past those projections, eventually landing in Atlanta with pick No. 74 overall.