A consensus five-star recruit out of Pinnacle High School in Phoenix, Arizona, Spencer Rattler was the No. 1 quarterback prospect in 2019, and he chose Oklahoma over just about every other program. He transferred to South Carolina in 2022 after losing the starting job for the Sooners to Caleb Williams in 2021, and after one average season for the Gamecocks, Rattler came around in 2023… or, he came around as much as his offensive line would let him.
With perhaps the NCAA’s worst protection last season, the 6′ 0¼”, 211-pound Rattler still completed 274 of 403 passes for 3,183 yards, 19 touchdowns, eight interceptions, and a quarterback rating of 99.1.
Evaluating Rattler as an NFL prospect is a bit of a struggle, because South Carolina’s passing game was pretty dysfunctional, but there’s enough on tape to see him as a credible starter in the right offense.
PLUSES
— Operated behind what was likely the NCAA’s worst offensive line and was still responsible for a lot of structured explosive plays.
— Pocket movement is a plus attribute; Rattler is very good at staying in the boxing ring and moving away from pressure. Bailing out of the pocket isn’t his default. He’ll also stand and deliver in the pocket when he’s about to get walloped.
— Natural move quarterback who quickly gets his body turned to the target, which allows him to stay on point with his mechanics and boots and scrambles.
— Has the arm to throw comfortably to all levels of the field. It’s not a Howitzer, but it’s not a weakness, either.
— Unafraid to throw downfield into tight windows, and has the touch and velocity to do so.
— Has a lot on the ball as a runner, both in designed concepts and when things do break down. Forced 15 missed tackles on 28 rushing attempts last season.
MINUSES
— Rattler is more of a “see it and throw it” guy than a true anticipation thrower; you’d like to see more instances where he throws his target open.
— Most of Rattler’s pressures and sacks were on his line, but if he could speed up his internal clock just a hair, it would help.
— Has stretches of “Bad Russell Wilson” where he’ll just hold onto the ball, and you’re yelling at the screen for him to get the dang thing out.
— Has a tendency to throw interceptions that are more “WTF” throws by Rattler than specifically heroic efforts by the defenders. His downfield vision aligns with his throw timing and can be a tick late.
There is a rogue element to Rattler’s play that very much brings Baker Mayfield to mind, and it would likely be more effective behind an offensive line that wasn’t actively participating in his demise. If you’re stuck in the group that has him as a third-day pick, I get it, but the more you watch him, the more you tend to like him and his NFL potential.
Spencer Rattler, QB, South Carolina
PLUSES
— Operated behind what was likely the NCAA's worst offensive line and was still responsible for a lot of structured explosive plays.
— Pocket movement is a plus attribute; Rattler is very good at staying in the boxing ring and… pic.twitter.com/X4lyKdWZFf
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) April 8, 2024