South Carolina Football: Rattler projected as potential first round 2024 NFL Draft selection
By Kevin Miller
The South Carolina football program had five players drafted in the 2023 NFL Draft (Cam Smith, Zacch Pickens, Darius Rush, Jovaughn Gwyn, and Jalen Brooks). That number could be even higher for the 2024 NFL Draft as Spencer Rattler, Antwane “Juice” Wells, Trey Knox, and Kai Kroeger seem to be clear choices to be selected, and a whole slew of other Gamecocks could hear their names called next April with big final seasons in Columbia.
Quarterback Spencer Rattler has been believed to be an NFL quarterback since he was in high school. His career has seen some significant highs and lows, but entering his final season of college football, the Carolina signal caller appears set to make the jump to the professional ranks next year.
According to CBS Sports’ Cameron Salerno, Rattler has a chance to play himself back into the first-round lock that he once was. Most analysts believe that Rattler would have been selected in the 2023 NFL Draft had he declared, but he would have likely been a late pick. With a solid season in Columbia that resembles the end of the 2022 season, his stock would jump tremendously.
Rattler threw for over 3000 yards last season despite inconsistent play early in the season and a horrible offensive coordinator situation (which Gamecock fans hope has been fixed via Dowell Loggains replacing the much-maligned Marcus Satterfield). If Rattler and his play caller can become more consistent in 2023, the possibilities for the Carolina offense are almost limitless. Rattler’s top target returns in Juice Wells, and Trey Knox is a bigger threat at tight end than either of the two transfers out of the program this offseason.
Barring the unthinkable, Rattler will become just the third Gamecocks’ quarterback ever selected in the NFL Draft and will be the highest selection at the position in program history. If he plays his way into the first round, he will be Carolina’s first 1st-round pick since Jaycee Horn was taken 8th in 2021.