Spencer Rattler took ‘biggest leap’ among American Team quarterbacks at Senior Bowl

Former South Carolina star Spencer Rattler is turning heads this week during practices for the Senior Bowl. And with many of the top quarterback prospects skipping this all-star game, Rattler can absorb the extra attention.

Lance Zierlein and Eric Edholm, two draft analysts for NFL.com, are writing daily highlights from the Senior Bowl practices in Mobile, Alabama. They described Rattler as the best quarterback on the American team. On Wednesday, Gamecocks coach Shane Beamer even dropped by to check on Rattler and Xavier Legette, Rattler’s former teammate.

Zierlein and Edholm wrote that Rattler showed the most significant progression of the four quarterbacks on the American Team Senior Bowl roster. The two analysts observed that Rattler showed more “decisiveness, better decision-making and good ball placement. He even hooked up with Legette on a corner route midway through practice, one of a few nice connections between the teammates. It has been a very solid start to the week for Rattler.”

Rattler may be a second-day selection when the NFL conducts its draft in late April. However, this week he can do himself a great service by turning in some nice days of practices. The biggest draft names aren’t participating in the Senior Bowl. So scouts here aren’t able to watch Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels or J.J. McCarthy. The quarterbacks here are Rattler, Sam Hartman, Joe Milton III, Bo Nix, Michael Pratt, Michael Penix and Carter Bradley.

Coincidentally, Rattler and Williams were teammates at Oklahoma. But Williams surpassed Rattler on the depth chart. Rattler then transferred to South Carolina, playing there for two seasons. Meanwhile, Williams followed Lincoln Riley to USC. Both quarterbacks struggled some in their final season. Rattler’s Gamecocks finished 5-7 in 2023.

“I was proud of him this season,” Beamer told NFL.com in regards to Rattler. “We had some struggles on offense. We had six season-ending injuries on the offensive line and started two true freshmen on the offensive line in the SEC.

“But you never heard him complain. He had every opportunity to, but he didn’t, and I think that earned the respect of his teammates.”

Beamer said he asked Rattler to work on specific parts of his game for his final season. And those instructions also will help him in the NFL. Rattler cut down on his turnovers, both interceptions and fumbles.

“Being smarter with the football, I thought he did a really good job of that,” Beamer said from the Senior Bowl. “And then off the field, just the leadership aspect was big. He’s a two-time captain for us, voted by his teammates. Under those tough circumstances, he stepped up, and it meant a lot to our program.”

You can watch Rattler and other Senior Bowl stars on Saturday. The NFL Combine later this month is their next step in the draft process.