It took longer than expected, but Gamecocks’ Spencer Rattler taken in NFL Draft

After a longer-than-expected wait, South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler was selected with the 150th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints on Saturday.

NFL analysts and mock drafts generally had Rattler slotted as a second- or third-round selection as the draft neared. Then Friday ended with Rattler still on the board. Then Saturday’s fourth round concluded and the South Carolina star became the most mysterious draft drop of the week.

Just after the fourth round concluded with no quarterbacks selected, NFL Network analyst Ian Rapoport was almost shaking his head as he read a report.

“This is kind of weird to say, honestly: Spencer Rattler did a reality show in high school,” he said. “It’s called ‘QB1: Beyond The Lights.’ It did not make him look great.”

He continued: “It is unbelievable how many different teams mentioned to me the image of him in that show and how they couldn’t get out of their head.”

Another NFL Network analyst, Daniel Jeremiah, chimed in and said he squashed the entire narrative that came out from the Netflix series, which made Rattler look like an entitled kid who treated his teammates horribly. Jeremiah spoke with Shane Beamer and the USC coach told him how Rattler was a two-time captain, how he didn’t complain about offensive line struggles, on and on.

“People are gonna judge him on a reality show when he was in high school — that’s not fair,” Beamer told Jeremiah. “This is who he’s been for me for the last two years. Ask anyone in our building how he’s grown up and matured.”

At long last, the Saints selected the South Carolina gunslinger.

He was the seventh quarterback selected behind Caleb Williams (drafted No. 1 to the Bears from Southern Cal), Jayden Daniels (No. 2 to the Commanders from LSU), Drake Maye (No. 3 to the Patriots from North Carolina), Michael Penix Jr. (No. 8 to the Falcons from Washington), J.J. McCarthy (No. 10 to the Vikings from Michigan) and Bo Nix (No. 12 to the Broncos from Oregon).

Rattler is the first Gamecock quarterback to be selected in the NFL Draft since Todd Ellis, USC’s career passing leader, in 1990. Ellis was the 247th pick in the ninth round and was taken by the Denver Broncos, coached by fellow South Carolina alum (and signal caller) Dan Reeves.

Rattler is the fifth USC quarterback to ever be drafted, joining Ellis, Ed Pasky in 1951, Johnny Gramling in 1954 and Jeff Grantz in 1976.

Rattler transferred to South Carolina in 2022 after starting his college career at Oklahoma and cemented himself as one of the best QBs in school history. He ranks fifth all-time among Gamecocks quarterbacks in passing yards with 6,212 and first in career completion percentage (.675), fifth in career completions (523) and ninth in career passing touchdowns (37). Rattler also served as a team captain both years at USC.

He is the second Gamecock drafted after wide receiver Xavier Legette went No. 32 overall to the Carolina Panthers in the first round of the draft on Friday.

Other Gamecocks quarterbacks have made it to the league through undrafted free agency. Anthony Wright played six years in the NFL (2000-01, 2003, 2005-07), while Connor Shaw worked with current USC offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains in Cleveland and Chicago.