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NFL Draft: Spencer Rattler makes the right decision returning to college

By Brandon Croce

Dec 30, 2022; Jacksonville, FL, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Spencer Rattler (7) attempts a shovel pass during the first half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the 2022 Gator Bowl at TIAA Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 30, 2022; Jacksonville, FL, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Spencer Rattler (7) attempts a shovel pass during the first half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the 2022 Gator Bowl at TIAA Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports /
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There is no question that this year’s NFL Draft quarterback class has a number of top prospects like Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud and after those two there was a group that includes players like Will Levis and Anthony Richardson. Another player who likely was going to be in that group was South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler.

Rattler began his college career at Oklahoma and the potential was there that once he went to the NFL was going to be one of the top quarterbacks after a 2020 season where he threw for over 3,000 passing yards with 28 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

However in 2021, he lost the starting job to Caleb Williams and he would transfer to South Carolina last year. This move should have set him up to improve his stock into being a potential first round draft pick but it was an up-and-down season where he finished with over 3,000 passing yards but only 18 passing touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

Spencer Rattler made the right decision to return to South Carolina instead of enter the NFL Draft

The fact that he didn’t play at the level many believe he can and the number of top-tier quarterbacks this year, it was smart for Rattler to elect to return to South Carolina, which he announced this week, instead of entering the NFL Draft.

Spencer Rattler finished last year very well as he helped lead the Gamecocks to a win over Tennessee where he threw for 438 passing yards and six touchdowns and followed it up with a win over Clemson where he threw for 360 passing yards with two passing touchdowns and two interceptions.

South Carolina would come up short against Notre Dame in a back-and-forth matchup in the Gator Bowl but Rattler would throw for 246 passing yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

Now with him returning to Columbia for another season, Spencer Rattler has a chance to build off the momentum he had at the end of last year and potentially put him in that position to be a first round quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft.

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