The 2024 NFL Draft will take place from Thursday, April 25 through Saturday, April, 27 from Hart Plaza in Detroit. Once thought to be a potential No. 1 overall pick, South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler experienced a long, rollercoaster of a collegiate career. Now entering the NFL ranks, he will now try to play the role of a draft sleeper.
Rattler was the top quarterback prospect of the 2019 recruiting class and committed to Oklahoma with the hopes of becoming the next elite QB developed by then head coach Lincoln Riley. Redshirting as a true freshman, he won the starting job in 2020 and flashed his potential by throwing for over 3,000 yards and accounting for 34 touchdowns. However, fortunes turned south for him in 2021 as a new five-star QB by the name of Caleb Williams arrived to Norman. Putting up pedestrian numbers through the first month of the season, Rattler struggled in their annual rivalry game against Texas and was famously benched at halftime for Williams. The future Heisman Trophy winner would keep a grip on the starting job for the rest of the season and Rattler would end up entering the transfer portal that November.
He’d end up at South Carolina, where he’d spend his last two years of his collegiate career. His time in Columbia included back-to-back 3,000 yard seasons, including a 2023 campaign where he complete 68.9% of his passes.
Spencer Rattler: Scouting Report
NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein praised his patience and ability to scan the field for full reads, as well as his perseverance when facing pressure. At 6’0”, however, he does not feel as if Rattler has the requisite height to be an effective pocket passer. Here’s his full assessment:
Four-year starter who took more starting snaps at South Carolina than he did at Oklahoma. Rattler will still flash glimpses of what he showed in his 2020 season as a Sooner but fails to consistently sustain the type of play that NFL teams look for. He lacks desired height for a pocket passer and doesn’t have enough arm strength to beat greedy NFL cover men. He was better than some of his 2023 numbers might indicate, as poor pass-blocking and drop-prone receivers often put him in bad spots. He can scramble and extend plays, but he’s not a dynamic runner and needs optimal protection and separation in order to work in rhythm. He needs an offense that can shrink the field so he can operate quickly and find his rhythm. He has the know-how but might not have the tape or traits to inspire confidence in projecting anything more than a QB2/3.
Mock Draft landing spots
Rattler is being projected as a possible third or fourth round pick in this year’s draft. NFL.com’s Chad Reuter projected him to be taken by the Denver Broncos with the No. 76 pick in his latest mock. Other mocks have linked him to teams like the Atlanta Falcons and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Fantasy football implications
Rattler will be a backup QB wherever he is drafted and will not have any fantasy value at the start of the season. The only way this changes if he comes in following an injury to the starter and immediately proves himself as a draft steal.
Rattler won’t be a bad second-round pick in most dynasty drafts depending on how deep your league goes. He could benefit from sitting behind a good starting QB for a season or two before getting a shot. If you’re not in desperate need of a QB and can wait things out, Rattler has some upside.