The Athletic releases QB rankings for 2024 NFL Draft. Where Spencer Rattler ranks
Spencer Rattler has another season to play in Columbia, but his name is already circulating in NFL draft waters.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler released his early quarterback rankings for the 2024 NFL draft class on Monday, slotting Rattler at No. 8 among senior signal-callers eligible for this year’s event.
Rattler was one of five senior SEC quarterbacks on the list, which included LSU’s Jayden Daniels (No. 4), Tennessee’s Joe Milton (No. 5), Kentucky’s Devin Leary (No. 9), Arkansas’ KJ Jefferson (No. 10) and Mississippi State’s Will Rogers (No. 20).
Brugler also ranked the top five 2024 quarterback prospects independent of class. They were:
Caleb Williams — Southern Cal
Drake Maye — UNC
J.J. McCarthy — Michigan
Riley Leonard — Duke
Quinn Ewers — Texas
Rattler and Williams notably split time during their respective tenures at Oklahoma. Rattler had initially entered the 2021 season as the starting quarterback in Norman before a slow start forced then-head coach Lincoln Riley to turn to Williams at halftime of the Red River Rivalry against arch-rival Texas. Williams led the Sooners to a comeback win and Rattler was largely relegated to backup duty the rest of the season.
“Lincoln Riley’s diverse scheme makes the USC offense tough to defend, but Williams’ poised playmaking is what makes it one of the best attacks in the country,” Brugler wrote. “For many of the same reasons why (Bryce) Young went No. 1 in April, Williams is the early favorite to be the top pick in 2024.”
Since leaving Oklahoma, Rattler has found a newfound comfort in Columbia. His first season at South Carolina ebbed and flowed through the season’s first 10 weeks. Rattler did, however, find his form late in upset wins over No. 5 Tennessee and Clemson — games in which he completed 55 of 76 passes (72.3%) for 798 yards, eight touchdowns and just two interceptions. The former five-star recruit had only previously thrown eight touchdowns all season.
Rattler is expected to buoy a South Carolina offense that will replace three starters on the offensive line, but returns the bulk of its skill position weapons. Antwane “Juice” Wells Jr. is back in the fold at receiver, where he should hold down the fort alongside some combination of Xavier Legette, Ahmarean Brown, Memphis transfer Eddie Lewis and others. USC also added tight ends Trey Knox (Arkansas) and Joshua Simon (Western Kentucky) and both should factor heavily into the passing game.
Brugler also included a handful of familiar quarterbacks to those living in the Palmetto State. Coastal Carolina’s Grayson McCall came in as the No. 16 senior quarterback, while former Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei — who has since transferred to Oregon State — was listed at No. 21.
South Carolina will face five of the quarterbacks listed in Brugler’s initial rankings this year, starting with Maye in the September 3 opener in Charlotte. USC will also match up with Rogers, Milton, Leary and Georgia’s Carson Beck (No. 7 among underclassmen quarterbacks) in 2023. The Gamecocks will see four of those five quarterbacks in the first five weeks of the season.
