NORMAN, OK - SEPTEMBER 28: Quarterback Spencer Rattler #7 of the Oklahoma Sooners warms up before the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 28, 2019 in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners defeated the Red Raiders 55-16. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)

Spencer Rattler Is The Next Patrick Mahomes

August 31, 2022 | Daniel Kelly | Articles

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There was controversy surrounding Spencer Rattler as he transferred from Oklahoma to South Carolina last December. However, make no mistake, he is an elite NFL draft prospect headed into the 2022 college football season.

I loved Rattler when I looked at him on 2020 game film for NFL Draft Diamonds (vs. Iowa State, Oklahoma State and Florida), and I loved him when I watched him play last season.

Love is a strong word. In fact, it is the strongest word I know. I do not love many of these prospects, but I love Rattler. There is something that strongly resonates with me about him, so much so that if I was named as an NFL General Manager prior to draft day, he may very well be the name on the card.

I don’t know how much stronger I can get with this.

Is there more to this story with Rattler as we approach the 2023 NFL Draft?

Nobody can tell me that something political wasn’t going on at Oklahoma in 2021. It’s a little more than “coincidence” that Lincoln Riley and QB Caleb Williams (who suddenly took over for Rattler at Oklahoma when Riley was coaching there) are back together at USC.

I’ll leave it there.

Nothing trumps game film, and I mean nothing.

Rattler is a winner

Going back through Rattler’s ESPN game log, his team only lost two games he played extensively in between 2019-2021. In 2020, he capped off the season by winning a Big 12 Championship and then defeated Florida in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl.

I love what I see in Rattler’s eyes. He’s got ice in his eyes and he’s got a chip on his shoulder, and in the NFL, there is no substitute for either.

#7 Spencer Rattler 6-foot-1, 215 pounds

Daniel Kelly Grade: First Round (Top 10) Early Fall 2022 Report

FIRST ROUND MOCK BIG BOARD: QB2

Projected by 14.5% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of August 31, 2022 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

2021 game film reviewed: West Virginia, Texas, Kansas State and Nebraska (click to watch games viewed to form this evaluation)

Level of competition: High

2021 stats: 140/187 (74.9%), 1,483 yards (avg. 7.9), 11 TD, 5 INT.

NFL Comparable: Patrick Mahomes

2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report:

Athletic and ultra competitive NFL-ready gunslinger with a strong arm who can move around and leads with a high energy tempo. Crisp and alert looking and well schooled in terms of pocket mechanics and ball handling. His play-action fake even fooled the television camera. Decisive and deliberate. Can go through his progressions and pull the trigger quickly. Excels rolling out and he has a strong enough arm that he can hit his targets downfield without needing to set his feet. Tough as nails and poised to deliver under pressure. Big league arm, but he can also take something off and deliver passes with touch and finesse when needed. Able to make all the throws in terms of velocity and distance. Works the short game well, especially on the perimeters. Drives the ball and excels in the intermediate range. Not good at the deep range in terms of placement. Did not hit one deep in these documented four games (also struggled in the three 2020 games viewed). Tendency to make ill-advised passes when he tries to do too much. Takes a lot of sacks (35 total 2020-2021) and he is not much of a runner (2.0 college career rushing average). Overall, he has the skill-set to move the meter at the next level.

What to watch for during the 2022 college football season:

How does he perform at South Carolina?
Has his deep passing game improved?
Has he cut-down on mistakes from trying to do too much?
Is he doing a better job of throwing the ball away and not taking sacks?

Rattler looks like a superstar in the making. I love his mixture of competitiveness, athleticism, arm strength and killer instinct he has for the position. Now he has to answer these four questions – and when he does, that will determine where he goes from here.

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He currently writes for Sports Illustrated New York Jets and he is the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. He can be followed on Twitter @firstroundmock.