South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Spencer Rattler was the first quarterback to take the field on Saturday afternoon in the Reese's Senior Bowl, and for a single series, he resembled the guy who was the number one quarterback recruit in the country just five years ago, and the preseason Heisman Trophy favorite heading into the 2021 college football season.
For his one spectacular series, capped off by a beautiful 29-yard touchdown pass to Georgia wideout Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, Rattler was named the MVP of the 2024 Senior Bowl, an honor that has been given to eventual Pro Bowl quarterbacks of the past such as Terry Bradshaw, Dan Marino, Philip Rivers, and Justin Herbert. After the MVP performance, while receiving the award, Rattler shared with Tom Pelissero what the Senior Bowl experience in Mobile meant to him, and what's next for him as he prepares for the NFL Draft.
South Carolina QB Spencer Rattler is your 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl MVP.
What’s next for him? “Keep working.” @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/czxHBxDPi7
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 3, 2024
Spencer Rattler has never stopped working, even in the face of remarkable on-field adversity.
As a high school senior, Rattler broke the Arizona state high school record for passing yards and would go on to commit to the University of Oklahoma at the conclusion of his senior season. Going into his third year with the Sooners, Rattler was the preseason betting favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, and to be the #1 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. In an incredible turn of events, Rattler was benched during a game versus Texas that year — for Heisman Trophy winning quarterback and presumptive number one pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Caleb Williams — and he never took another snap for the Oklahoma Sooners. Rattler would go on to spend two seasons as the starting quarterback at South Carolina, where he was able to restore some of the luster that was once associated with his name.
Now, with the 2024 NFL Draft approaching, Rattler is considered by most scouts and analysts to be the 7th-best quarterback in the draft behind a top six that seems to have separated themselves from the rest of the pack (Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, Bo Nix, Michael Penix Jr., and J.J. McCarthy). This is a departure from where Rattler expected to be as a promising freshman and sophomore, but no doubt a satisfying ending to his five-year college career.
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