While South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler was viewed as a potential third-round prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft, he ultimately fell to the middle of Round 5, where the New Orleans Saints scooped him up with the 150th overall pick.
Why did Rattler fall to Day 3, and how does he fit with the Saints?
Why Did Spencer Rattler Slip in the 2024 NFL Draft?
Rattler was the seventh quarterback on PFN Draft Analyst Ian Cummings’ Big Board. Cummings’ top six signal-callers — Drake Maye, Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, J.J. McCarthy, and Michael Penix Jr. — were all drafted inside the top 12 picks in Round 1.
Rattler, who spent three years at Oklahoma before completing his college career with the Gamecocks, was the No. 101 player on Cummings’ board. He ranked even higher — No. 90 — on PFN’s Industry Consensus Board.
Despite being a Day 3 pick, former @GamecockFB QB Spencer Rattler has the physical tools to potentially develop into an NFL starter. 🎯#SpursUp | #Saints pic.twitter.com/17gCeryjUJ
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) April 27, 2024
Here’s how Cummings described Rattler’s NFL potential in his pre-draft scouting report:
“Ultimately, the only thing keeping Rattler from locking in early-round capital is a lack of elite operational consistency. His situational precision can improve at times. His pocket habits can be unpredictable, and he’ll sometimes force poor decisions under pressure.
Nevertheless, Rattler is a capable creator with the arm talent to elongate throwing windows and drive passes to places only his WR can reach. By all accounts, he’s matured over the course of his football career, and his growth in 2023 does bring some optimism.
In the meantime, Rattler has value as a quality backup with the physical traits and operational floor to withstand adversity and command an offense in spurts. If he can compound his growth from 2023 in the years to come, Rattler has the tools to develop into an NFL starter.”
So, why did Rattler slip in the draft? Cummings pointed to the South Carolina QB’s “lack of raw creation ability” as a rusher and “undisciplined pocket habits” as potential problems at the NFL level. Rattler will also turn 24 years old at the start of his rookie campaign.
Rattler’s appearance on “QB1,” a 2019 Netflix reality series, may have also caused him to slide.
“It did not make him look great,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said on Saturday. “. And it is unbelievable how many different teams mentioned to me the image of him in that show and how they can’t get it out of their heads.”
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated heard the same rumors, indicating the Netflix series “ALWAYS came up with NFL people when discussing” Rattler during the pre-draft process.
Why Did the Saints Draft Spencer Rattler?
If Rattler was hoping to get a chance to play during his rookie season, he probably landed in the wrong spot.
Derek Carr will return as the Saints’ starter for the second consecutive campaign. Meanwhile, New Orleans has three other quarterbacks on its roster: 2023 fourth-round pick Jake Haener, Nathan Peterman, and Kellen Mond.
The fact that the Saints went back to the quarterback well just one year after selecting Haener could be an indication that they’re unhappy with the Fresno State product’s development. Haener did not play a snap in 2023 while working behind Carr and then-backup Jameis Winston.
KEEP READING: NFL Draft Grades 2024 — Analysis and Grades for All 7 Rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft
Carr is signed through 2026, but the Saints can get out of his contract after the upcoming season. New Orleans would save $30 million in 2025 cap space by designating Carr as a post-June 1 cut next offseason.
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