Spencer Rattler, as he has always been, is a major storyline heading into the 2023 season. The South Carolina football star has been in the limelight since he was a teenager, and his up-and-down collegiate career has been put under more scrutiny than is fair for any college kid.
Because of the “up” that ended Rattler’s 2022 campaign, expectations are soaring for #7. The Gamecocks’ signal caller could be in for a big senior season, and several NFL Draft projections have echoed the sentiment.
The former 5-star high school prospect has now become a high-end NFL prospect. According to NFLDraftBuzz, Rattler will go in the late 2nd round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Pro Football Network’s Ian Cummings has Rattler also mocked in the 2nd round. College Football News’ Pete Fiutak has Rattler as his 5th quarterback taken, likely putting him in the 2nd round once again. Yardbarker’s Seth Trachtman goes as far as to call Rattler a 1st-rounder.
The narrative seems to be shifting for Rattler as, after his unceremonious departure from Oklahoma and tough start to his Gamecock career, he was all but written off as an NFL prospect. A dominant end to his first year in Columbia saw Rattler throw for 1389 yards, and 13 touchdowns (while adding a rushing score), to just 3 interceptions down the stretch of the season.
Josh Hill of FanSided’s The Pewter Plank calls Rattler a “sleeper” pick in the draft that more people should be considering a top quarterback. ESPN analyst Greg McElroy says he is “bullish” on Rattler’s chances to have a big 2023 season and, thus, to go high in next year’s draft.
If the optimism surrounding Rattler becomes a consistent reality this fall, not only will it spell positive things for his future as a pro, but it will yield positive dividends for his team’s future. South Carolina football is a program viewed to be on the rise, and another step forward on the field will go a long way in recruiting.
The 2024 recruiting class has been ranked as high as the top-5 at points this offseason and currently sits around the top-10 mark in online recruiting rankings with at least two silent commitments waiting to be added to the class.
Good things are coming for South Carolina football, and Spencer Rattler could be a major catalyst of it all.