Spencer Rattler, QB South Carolina: Offseason 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Rattler was a five-star recruit from Pinnacle High School in Phoenix, Ariz. in the class of 2019

South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler was supposed to be a Heisman Trophy candidate and first round selection last season. However, things fell apart during his final year at Oklahoma, and he transferred to the SEC this past spring. Things didn’t work out this past cycle, but Rattler has his eyes on rehabilitating his NFL Draft stock for 2023.

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Spencer Rattler, QB South Carolina: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Redshirt junior quarterback from Phoenix, Ariz.

Background: Rattler was a five-star recruit from Pinnacle High School in Phoenix, Ariz. in the class of 2019. He was the No. 11 recruit according to 247Sports, No. 13 for Rivals, and No. 15 for On3.com. ESPN ranked him 29th (four-star) in the nation with an 86 grade out of 100. ESPN charted that Rattler ran a 4.88 40-yard dash in high school. The Arizona native set the state high school record with 11,083 career passing yards to accompany 116 passing touchdowns, over 1,000 rushing yards, and 14 rushing touchdowns. He was selected for the All-American Bowl. Rattler transferred from Oklahoma to South Carolina for the 2022 season. He was born on Sept. 28, 2000

2021 Production: 9 games, 187 attempts, 140 completions, 1,483 yards, 11 touchdowns, 5 interceptions + 43 carries, 77 yards, 3 touchdowns

2020 Production: 11 games, 317 attempts, 214 completions, 3,031 yards, 28 touchdowns, 7 interceptions + 81 carries, 160 yards, 6 touchdowns

2019 Production: 3 games, 11 attempts, 7 completions, 81 yards, 1 touchdown

Injuries & Off-Field: Injured his hip against Kansas (2020)

Awards: 2020 Honorable Mention All-Big 12, 2020 First-Team Academic All-Big 12, 2020 Co-Big 12 Newcomer of the Year (Associated Press), 2020 National Freshman of the Year (CBS Sports), 2020 FWAA Freshman All-American

Pros: Was a big play machine in 2020, quick release, efficient throwing motion, has enough mobility to navigate the pocket and gain yards as a runner, comfortable throwing on the move and off platform, flashes of elite throws where his accuracy shines, impressive arm talent, strength to hit the deep throws and the velocity to drive the ball through small windows, shows a good understanding of touch, plenty examples of him hitting players in stride or leading them to open space, feet stay active in the pocket

Cons: His time to throw in 2020 was over 3.1 seconds, seven fumbles in 2020, throws off his back foot while falling away too often, his rushing won’t translate to the NFL, not as fast or elusive as he tries to act, ball placement fell apart in 2021, needs to accelerate his mental clock to get the ball away before pressure arrives, doesn’t have full control of the pocket, consistently targeted double and triple coverages for no apparent reason, too much trust in his physical traits, makes some decisions that leave you scratching your head, lots of overthrows, footwork gets sloppy as Rattler tries to freestyle

Overview: Rattler is unofficially listed at 6'1", 205 lbs. The former five-star recruit has set himself up for a difficult year. Flaming out in Oklahoma after entering 2021 with first round expectations was difficult enough, but Rattler’s actions raised concerns about his maturity and leadership skills. His life in Columbia will be under a microscope throughout the season and pre-draft process. Rattler’s on-field self-destructive tendencies led to him getting benched for Caleb Williams last season. Rattler puts too much trust in his physical traits, often relying on his arm talent to challenge double teams and his mobility to beat the pass rush. He usually loses those battles. The Arizona native possesses a strong arm capable of putting zip on the ball and making any throw he attempted at Oklahoma. His release looks clean and quick, and Rattler showed the ability to create off platform, on the run, and from different arm angles. However, his ball placement became an issue in 2021, and his decision-making became harmful for the Sooners.

Overall, it’s easy to see why Rattler was a projected first round pick going into 2021. He has a gifted arm and some creative playmaking ability. Unfortunately, in Rattler’s case, the risks outweigh the rewards, which is why he’s a late Day 2 pick at best.

Role & Scheme Fit: Pocket passer in a spread offensive scheme

Round Projection: Late Third to Mid Fourth

Player Comparison: N/A

Submitted: 07-31-22