Tag: Spencer Rattler

Mel Kiper: Michael Penix Jr. won’t fall past Raiders at No. 13 overall

Mel Kiper at ESPN has shared a bunch of predictions going into the draft, including one that says Penix won’t last past No. 13 overall.

Here at Seahawks Wire we have been on Michael Penix Jr. watch even before the team hired Ryan Grubb as their offensive coordinator. For a long time the conventional wisdom was that Penix would still be available at the start of Round 2. However, thanks to his performance at the combine and Washington’s Pro Day, he’s now expected to be taken before Seattle is on the clock at No. 16 overall. Here’s more evidence pointing in that direction as the draft arrives.

The original draft guru, Mel Kiper at ESPN has shared a bunch of predictions going into the draft, including one that says Penix won’t last past No. 13 overall, where the Raiders are slated to pick:

“The Washington quarterback is liked by several teams with picks in the teens, but I don’t think he’ll last past the Raiders at No. 13. That’s a little rich for my tastes — he finished No. 24 on my Big Board — but there are several teams looking for their quarterback of the future in this class, and his accuracy, experience and moxie make him appealing.”

Already missing a second-round pick thanks to the Leonard Williams trade, the Seahawks simply don’t have the capital to move up from 16 for Penix or anybody else. Unless he falls, the Penix-Seattle connection will stop tonight.

However, the good news is that the 2024 draft class is deep at quarterback and they might still be able to land a quality prospect as late as Day 3. The other big name we will be keeping an eye on is Spencer Rattler from South Carolina, who’s projected to get drafted in Round 2 or Round 3.

More Seahawks Wire stories

Everything we know about Seattle going into 2024 NFL draft

Expectations for all 14 NFL teams picking ahead of Seahawks

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There’s ‘some buzz’ that Panthers could draft a QB

Joe Person of The Athletic said that he’s heard “some buzz” that the Panthers could draft a QB this weekend.

Well, maybe the spot behind Bryce Young and Andy Dalton will have room for growth after all.

Last month at the Annual League Meeting, Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales gave a little insight into how he wants to fill the QB3 vacancy that still exists on his roster. He seemed to be favoring a veteran for the position, suggesting that he wanted the quarterback to have prior NFL experience.

That, however, may not ultimately be the case, according to Joe Person of The Athletic, who noted the following on Tuesday morning:

A month after Dave Canales indicated at the owners’ meetings the Panthers would keep three quarterbacks, we’ve heard some buzz that Canales and general manager Dan Morgan could take one during the draft.

Person went on to add that the team could look into a number of Day 3 prospects — including South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler, Tennessee’s Joe Milton and Kentucky’s Devin Leary.

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‘So angry, so frustrated’: Caleb Williams describes how he felt in backup QB role at Oklahoma

Caleb Williams felt he should have been the starter at Oklahoma and finding out he wasn’t made him upset during his freshman season.

The 2021 Oklahoma Sooners’ football season needs an ESPN “30 for 30” documentary one day. It’s one of the wildest seasons in recent memory.

[autotag]Caleb Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Spencer Rattler[/autotag]’s quarterback battle was one of the biggest storylines of the season. For those who don’t remember, Williams was one of the top quarterback prospects coming out of high school. Rattler was the projected top pick ahead of the 2022 NFL draft.

In an interview with the Pivot Podcast, Williams said even with all of that, he felt he should have been the starter the whole season. “I told people before I went there that I was going to start, play and beat him out. I thought I beat him out in spring. He was projected No. 1 and all of that. So he started for six games, and so I prepared. I kept preparing, and Lincoln (Riley) told me to keep going.”

But when he wasn’t the starter, he admits he became “so angry, so frustrated” at the situation. Still, Williams would keep going as his coach encouraged and ultimately received his chance in the Cotton Bowl against Oklahoma’s archrival.

Williams entered the game with the Sooners down 28-7. On fourth-and-1, he received the call for a designed quarterback run and broke free for a 66-yard touchdown. The rest is history.

“I watched and learned Tom Brady for Drew Bledsoe,” Williams said. “You prepare and prepare but when you get your moment, you never know how long it’s going to be and you never know what’s going to happen but when you get your moment, you don’t give it back. So, that was my mindset and plan.”

Credit to him because he did that. He earned his moment and he didn’t give it back. Now, the irony is the guy he was so angry and so frustrated with was the coach he followed to a new school. It was nothing the school did; it was something his coach did that made him feel that way.

Still, Sooner fans shouldn’t be mad at Williams. Williams came to Oklahoma because he wanted to be developed by Riley. He even admitted in the interview that Riley was the best when it comes to development. So, following Riley made all of the sense in the world.

Williams is about to be taken first overall in the 2024 NFL draft. His story is one of the great “what ifs?” in college football. He’s no doubt a great player and one of the best talents college football has seen this millennium, but the fact that he and Riley were never able to win a conference title leaves a little to be desired.

Still, as he heads to the NFL, Williams will continue to provide highlight-reel moments with his athleticism and passing ability.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on X @JaronSpor.

Sean Payton comments on QB height ahead of NFL draft

“I think oftentimes, these guys are seeing through lanes, not necessarily over them,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said of short quarterbacks.

As the Denver Broncos and coach Sean Payton prepare for the 2024 NFL draft, the heights of quarterbacks in this year’s class is one of the many measurements the team will discuss on draft night.

The top quarterback prospects are Caleb Williams (6-1), Jayden Daniels (6-4), Drake Maye (6-4), J.J. McCarthy (6-3), Bo Nix (6-2), Michael Penix (6-3), Spencer Rattler (6-1) and Michael Pratt (6-3).

All of them are notably taller than Russell Wilson (5-11), who played under Payton last year, and Drew Brees (6-0), who won a Super Bowl with Payton.

“Quarterbacks who are not as tall and are not the prototype — generally speaking, it may vary depending on how teams value prototype heights, but 6-2 may be a starting point,” Payton said in February. “As a coordinator, I had Kerry Collins, who was 6-5, Quincy Carter [6-2], who was built differently, [Tony] Romo [6-2], [Drew] Bledsoe [6-5], [Vinnie] Testaverde [6-5] and then Drew [Brees] for a long time.

“There was an evolution with Drew. I don’t know that we set out to go in a direction relative to the makeup of our offensive line, but he was someone that was extremely athletic in the pocket. He was a very good foot athlete.”

Payton said the Saints had two “really good guards” in Jahri Evans and Carl Nicks who helped Brees climb the pocket and find throwing lanes. Payton has coached QBs of various heights and he knows how to help create throwing those lanes.

Whether the Broncos land a tall quarterback or a shorter prospect, Payton said it’s Denver’s job to set them up for success.

“I do think part of our jobs is to build around the strength of your players,” Payton said. “Even this year, what are the things that we feel like our receivers do well, that ‘Russ’ does well and that the running backs [do well]? That’s our job. And so our offense — and when I say our, [I mean] wherever I’ve been — it has been kind of an evolution of starting with the ingredients we have then building around them. So I think there’s still some things that are paramount today.

“At some point, teams are going to make you win from the pocket. We can rush a certain way to keep a quarterback from escaping. We’re going to have to be — wherever you’re at — proficient enough on third down to take a snap, find a throw and protect that spot that you’re referencing, regardless of height. I think oftentimes, these guys are seeing through lanes, not necessarily over them. Certainly for some quarterbacks, that can be a little bit more challenging.”

The first round of the NFL draft will be held in Detroit on Thursday evening. The Broncos hold eight picks this year, including No. 12 overall.

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Can Jackson Arnold be the next great Oklahoma quarterback?

Being the quarterback at Oklahoma brings a lot of pressure and Jackson Arnold is ready to live up to the hype.

Being the starting quarterback at a blue-blood program brings a lot of pressure. Being the starting quarterback at a place like Oklahoma with all of its recent success is another animal all on its own.

That’s what [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] is stepping into. He’s following [autotag]Josh Heupel[/autotag], [autotag]Jason White[/autotag], [autotag]Sam Bradford[/autotag], [autotag]Landry Jones[/autotag], [autotag]Baker Mayfield[/autotag], [autotag]Kyler Murray[/autotag], [autotag]Jalen Hurts[/autotag] and [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag].

That doesn’t even include the guys pre-2000 or even guys like [autotag]Spencer Rattler[/autotag] and [autotag]Caleb Williams[/autotag]who were extremely talented but finished their careers elsewhere.

Arnold spoke about how much that played into his decision to come to Oklahoma.

“It definitely impacted my decision,” Arnold said. “Just knowing the caliber of QBs that came before me and just knowing that I wanted to be a part of that group really stood out to me. Being in the lineage of Heisman winners is obviously something I want to join and follow those footsteps. This is the place that I wanted to be.”

The thing for Arnold is for him not to try to be too much like them and let that pressure get to him. Instead, he just needs to be himself. That’s what earned him five-star status. It’s why the expectations are so high for Arnold.

He’s got all the talent in the world to be a successful college quarterback. But so much of what goes into playing the position goes beyond the scouting report or the box score. But early in his career, Jackson Arnold has shown he’s capable of overcoming adversity. He’s made up of the right stuff. 2024 is the season we see Arnold have a breakout year.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

Giants meeting with Bo Nix, Spencer Rattler

The New York Giants are meeting with quarterbacks Bo Nix (Oregon) and Spencer Rattler (South Carolina) ahead of the 2024 NFL draft.

The New York Giants may not get their shot at the top four quarterback prospects in the 2024 NFL draft but are making contingency plans in the event that plays out.

Those plans include top-30 visits with Oregon’s Bo Nix and South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler, who could each be available come pick No. 47 overall.

Nix struggled at Auburn before transferring to Oregon and establishing himself as a viable pro. NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein gives a pro comparison of Tony Romo — something Giants fans probably don’t want to hear.

Rare five-year starting quarterback whose play has matured in front of our eyes. Nix displays the accuracy, arm talent and athleticism consistent with today’s brand of pro quarterback. He can be punctual in getting the ball out at the top of his drop or he can work through progressions and beat defenses with second-reaction plays. He throws with good velocity and puts the ball on the money when throwing on the move. Nix has shown great improvement with his pocket poise. He’s capable of moving the sticks as a scrambler or as part of the running game. Some of his gaudy production has been driven by the Oregon offense’s design, but his talent clearly stands out. I’ve harbored bias from watching the overwhelmed version of Nix during his Auburn days, but as the saying goes, “tape don’t lie.” Nix appears more than ready to attack the league with an NFL-caliber skill set.

Rattler, meanwhile, had less success after transferring to South Carolina from Oklahoma but still put up respectable numbers. Although Zierlein didn’t give him a pro comparison, he did note that the quarterback flashes, albeit inconsistently.

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.

The Giants have done work on nearly every quarterback available in the draft and appear destined to select one at some point later this month.

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Falcons host South Carolina QB Spencer Rattler on top-30 draft visit

The Falcons hosted South Carolina QB Spencer Rattler on top-30 draft visit, per report

Without an established quarterback in place, the Atlanta Falcons missed the playoffs yet again in 2023. After bringing in head coach Raheem Morris to replace Arthur Smith, the team signed quarterback Kirk Cousins to replace Desmond Ridder on the opening day of free agency.

Despite signing Cousins, the Falcons could still add a quarterback in the 2024 NFL draft. We don’t expect the team to go after a QB on Day 1, however, Atlanta may target one of the many mid-round QB prospects in this year’s class.

One of those potential targets is South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler. The Falcons hosted Rattler on a top-30 draft visit, according to Bleacher Report’s Ryan Fowler:

Rattler passed for 3,812 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions for the Gamecocks last season. Before signing Cousins, the Falcons said they wanted a quarterback who was an elite processor and Rattler fits the bill.

Once projected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 draft, Rattler lost his starting job at Oklahoma to Caleb Williams. After transferring to South Carolina, Rattler seemed to regain his confidence over the last two seasons.

The Falcons also reportedly met with Washington QB Michael Penix Jr., Alabama EDGE Dallas Turner, Toldeo CB Quinyon Mitchell, UCF wide receiver Javon Baker and Georgia WR Ladd McConkey.

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The Xs and Os with Greg Cosell: Paths to NFL success for 2024 draft quarterbacks

In this week’s “Xs and Os,” the guys talk NFL success for Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, Michael Penix Jr., and J.J. McCarthy.

One of the hardest things to do in any sport is to correctly predict the paths to success for draftable quarterbacks in their transition to the NFL. For every quarterback who becomes a success in the NFL. there are at least two who don’t. Some of those quarterbacks excelled in collegiate offenses that fluffed up their skill sets, but those skill sets just don’t work in the league. Some quarterbacks find themselves with the wrong coaching situation, and the connection required to get things going at the next level just isn’t there.

So, when we look to the 2024 draft, and the major quarterbacks therein, how can we best extrapolate success? In this week’s “Xs and Os with Greg Cosell and Doug Farrar,” the guys get into the universal traits required for NFL success, and specific fits for these specific quarterbacks:

Caleb Williams, USC — Can Williams’ NFL coaches tamp down his more rogue tendencies, without muting the special off-schedule things he can accomplish?

Jayden Daniels, LSU — How can Daniels’ NFL coaches keep the explosive aspects of his college offense going while further developing the nuances Daniels already understands?

Drake Maye, North Carolina — Maye’s NFL coaches will need to temper their enthusiasm for a physical resume that is pro-ready right now, while working to accentuate the things that still need work.

Michael Penix Jr., Washington — With Penix, how much will his injury history and performance against defensive pressure mitigate his ball-winning downfield accuracy?

J.J. McCarthy, Michigan — McCarthy is the most prominent “game manager” in this class, so how will his NFL coaches make the most of his skills, while understanding that he’s just not an explosive play waiting to happen?

If you’re missing Oregon’s Bo Nix here, we didn’t discuss Nix in this episode because we recently talked ball and watched tape with Nix for nearly an hour. You can find that episode right here:

The Xs and Os with Greg Cosell: Watching tape with Oregon QB Bo Nix

As to this week’s “Xs and Os,” you can watch it (and subscribe to our YouTube channel) right here:

You can also listen and subscribe to “The Xs and Os” podcast on Spotify…

…and on Apple Podcasts.

Seahawks hosting South Carolina QB Spencer Rattler for top-30 visit

According to Ian Rapoport at NFL Network, South Carolina QB Spencer Rattler was in Seattle yesterday meeting with the Seahawks.

The Seahawks are doing their diligence on a deep 2024 draft class at the game’s most important position. Already Seattle has reportedly met with a few top quarterback prospects, including Michigan’s JJ McCarthy and Oregon’s Bo Nix – as well as projected UDFA John Rhys Plumlee of UCF.

Now we have word of another quarterback visiting. According to Ian Rapoport at NFL Network, South Carolina QB Spencer Rattler was in Seattle yesterday meeting with the Seahawks.

Consider us thrilled with this visit, as Rattler is our favorite quarterback prospect in this class outside of the top-three (Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Michael Penix Jr.).

Rattler (6-foot-1, 200 pounds) played his first three college seasons at Oklahoma before transferring to South Carolina. All together he’s totaled 900 completions, over 10,000 passing yards, a 68.5% completion rate and 77 touchdowns to go with 32 interceptions.

Rattler comes with the aggressive instincts that general mananger John Schneider clearly adores in his quarterbacks. Here’s the highlight reel.

Rattler is expected to come off the board in either the third or fourth round of the draft. If Seattle ends up drafting him he would likely compete with Sam Howell for the starting job whenever Geno Smith leaves.

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2024 NFL Draft: South Carolina QB Spencer Rattler scouting report

South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler overcame the NCAA’s worst protection in 2023 to avail himself as a starting NFL prospect in the right offense.

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.