South Carolina Football: Spencer Rattler to play in Senior Bowl

South Carolina football fans have witnessed one of the best quarterback seasons in school history in 2023. Spencer Rattler, despite being one of the most sacked players in all of college football and not having much of a running game to support him, has been among the country’s best signal-callers.

With one regular season game remaining (and a potential bowl game), Rattler is less than 500 yards away from the single-season South Carolina football record for passing yards and already has become the second Gamecock to ever throw for 3000 yards twice.

The NFL Draft stock that had once disappeared for Rattler has been rebuilt, and some draft analysts have mocked #7 as high as the 1st round.

After this season ends, Spencer Rattler will have another opportunity to improve that stock. On Monday, it was announced that the Gamecock gunslinger accepted an invitation to the 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl.

Earlier in the day, Senior Bowl Director Jim Nagy hinted at the news by tweeting out a GIF of a rattlesnake rattle, but the Senior Bowl’s official account confirmed Rattler’s Senior Bowl status with a post of a digital trading card of Rattler.

Rattler is not the only Gamecock who has been on the Senior Bowl radar this season, but it is unclear if any of his teammates will join him in Mobile.

Wide receiver Xavier Legette was a Senior Bowl midseason All-American, but he might be projected high enough in the draft that he elects to skip the Senior Bowl.

Fellow wide receiver Juice Wells likely has been given an invitation, but an announcement on Monday revealed that Wells plans to return to the South Carolina football team in 2024.

Running back Mario Anderson is another player that the Senior Bowl has been monitoring, but he has not decided yet whether he will return to school or declare for the 2024 NFL Draft.

Other seniors like offensive lineman Nick Gargiulo, defensive linemen Tonka Hemingway and Jordan Strachan, tight ends Trey Knox and Josh Simon, receiver Ahmarean Brown, linebacker Debo Williams, and cornerback Marcellas Dial were all on the Senior Bowl watch list and could receive invitations. Some of those players have eligibility decisions to make before the Senior Bowl.

Technically, Rattler’s invitation to the Senior Bowl is contingent upon whether or not he declares for the NFL Draft (something he has not done yet), but all signs point to the talented quarterback being on an NFL roster next season instead of being part of the South Carolina football program.

Rattler and the Gamecocks will play at least one more game this season. On Saturday, USC will face the in-state rival Clemson Tigers at 7:30 at Williams-Brice Stadium. The game will be broadcast on SECNetwork and the ESPN app.