Spencer Rattler NFL Draft projection: How high will the Gamecocks' QB go

Following the conclusion of the 2023 college football regular season, Spencer Rattler revealed the next step in his football career. The quarterback officially declared for the 2024 NFL Draft on Wednesday afternoon, ending his five-year career in the college football landscape.

Rattler started his CFB career at Oklahoma in 2019, where he spent three seasons, before moving to South Carolina in 2022. His career within the realm was full of ups and downs, but the quarterback achieved noteworthy achievements in his five seasons.

Spencer Rattler's draft projection

Although Spencer Rattler has faced some difficulty during his time at Oklahoma, he's been impressive in the last two seasons at South Carolina, throwing for 3,000 yards in both seasons. This must have caught the attention of teams looking to draft a quarterback.

His notable improvement has garnered attention from NFL Draft analysts and scouts, leading to a significant rise in his draft stock since the start of the season.

It's worth noting that the upcoming draft is expected to be quarterback-loaded. A notable amount of top talents in the position are eligible to enter the draft in 2024. This will create intense competition among signal-callers as NFL franchises have several options.

Rattler has demonstrated an on-field maturation, especially in the 2023 season, to complement his impressive arm talent. This has played a significant role in elevating the quarterback on the draft board.

Considering all factors, Rattler is expected to go as high as a mid-round pick during the 2024 NFL Draft. A third-round selection appears to be the safest guess for the signal-caller.

What the experts have said about Spencer Rattler

Rattler notably commanded significant attention this season, especially at the beginning. This led to several draft analysts commenting on his draft chances. ESPN's Matt Miller has this to say about the quarterback:

“He is a dynamic playmaker. He creates opportunities. He’s great at extending the pocket. And his arm talent is... I mean, it’s as good as any in this class. It’s probably the best in this class, in terms of deep ball ability and the way that he can create that arc.”

Miller's colleague at ESPN, Jordan Reid, believes Rattler needs to work on his consistency despite his evident talent and ability:

“He’s just so hot and cold. I was at two games last year, probably his best and his worst. I was at the Clemson game and also the Georgia game, so I got the full-on Spencer Rattler experience. But he has all the arm talent that you want.”

Rattler is undoubtedly one of the quarterbacks to watch out for in 2024. He has all it takes to thrive in the challenging NFL, and franchises know that. It remains to be seen where he will eventually land.