After being selected in the fifth round (No. 150 overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints, quarterback Spencer Rattler exceeded all expectations in his NFL debut against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Rattler has had a unique journey to the NFL, as he was a five-star recruit and the No. 1 ranked quarterback coming out of Pinnacle High School in Phoenix, Arizona. However, after an up-and-down collegiate career that included stints with the Oklahoma Sooners and South Carolina Gamecocks, he slipped in the draft.
Now, he’s looking to prove himself at the professional level. With Rattler filling in for an injured Derek Carr, all eyes are on the young QB to see what he can do in New Orleans. Let’s break down Rattler’s nationality, upbringing, and more.
What Is Spencer Rattler’s Ethnicity?
Rattler was born September 28, 2000, to Michael and Susan Rattler. His parents have shared that Rattler is half-white and half-African-American.
His father, Mike, is reportedly a regional sales rep, while his mother, Susan, is a teacher. Rattler also has a younger sister, Olivia, who plays beach volleyball for Missouri State.
His father has apparently never missed a single one of Rattler’s games or practices. His father was also very involved in Rattler’s collegiate career, handling his NIL deals and media requests, so Spencer could focus entirely on football.
Rattler has been in the limelight since his high school days, as he was featured in the third season of the Netflix Series “QB1: Beyond the Lights” alongside Lance Legendre and Nik Scalzo.
Rookie to Rookie: Spencer Rattler connects with Bub Means for the 10-yard TD – #SAINTS TAKE THE LEAD!#TBvsNO | 📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/kQl2PGuSXL
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) October 13, 2024
In high school, Rattler threw for 11,083 yards and 116 touchdowns, breaking Arizona state records. He also ran for over 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns. His team won two straight conference titles while he was under center.
He was a five-star prospect, according to 247Sports, and was the No. 9 overall player in his class. He was the consensus top quarterback in the class of 2019. He also won the Elite 11 Finals MVP.
As a redshirt freshman at Oklahoma, it appeared Rattler was poised to maintain his status as the best quarterback of his recruiting class. Despite leading the Sooners to a 5-0 record as a starter to begin the 2021 season, however, he was eventually benched for Caleb Williams.
In 2022, Rattler transferred to South Carolina, reuniting with former Oklahoma assistant head coach and tight ends coach Shane Beamer. And in two years with the Gamecocks, Rattler completed 539 of 798 attempts (67.5%) for 6,212 yards, 37 scores, and 20 picks.
After winning MVP at the 2024 Senior Bowl, Rattler was selected in the fifth round by the Saints. Now, he’s making the most of his opportunity in New Orleans.