South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler Skipping College to Pursue NFL Career

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina’s standout quarterback Spencer Rattler, a shining light in a season of defeat, has decided to forgo his final year in college and enter the NFL draft.

Rattler, a fifth-year senior who spent his first three seasons at Oklahoma, took to social media on Wednesday to make the announcement of his intentions.

“Since I was a little kid, this has been my dream and goal and I can’t wait to have the opportunity to turn that dream into a reality,” he shared in his post.

Rattler described his two years with the Gamecocks as the highlight of his football career, citing victories over top-10 teams like Tennessee and Clemson in 2022, when South Carolina finished with an 8-5 record.

The Gamecocks had high hopes for this season, but a four-game SEC losing streak in September and October left them with a 5-7 record. They ended the season with a 16-7 loss to rival Clemson, wherein Rattler faced relentless pressure and was held to a season-low 112 passing yards.

“This place meant everything to me,” Rattler expressed after the game. “I came here and enjoyed every moment: the adversity, the success. I wanted to be a part of change in this program, and I feel like I put 110% effort into it every day.”

He tantalized fans with the possibility of using his sixth season of eligibility before ultimately declaring his decision to turn professional.

Rattler concluded his college career with 10,807 passing yards, 77 touchdowns, and 32 interceptions.

His draft status remains uncertain in what is considered a deep draft class for talented quarterbacks. Rattler was initially projected in some first-round mock drafts but has also been pegged as a late second-day or early third-day selection.

Having started all 25 games at South Carolina and 42 of 48 overall in his career, which began with the Sooners, Rattler’s departure from the college team comes after losing the starting job at Oklahoma and reuniting with Gamecocks coach Shane Beamer, who was previously with the Sooners.

Beamer has commended Rattler’s leadership and demeanor as equally important as his skill set for South Carolina, citing a moment when Rattler showed concern for him after a defeat at Texas A&M.

“‘Bro, I should be apologizing to you,'” Beamer shared of their conversation.

“It’s not fake, that’s how he is and it’s the way he’s always has been,” the coach added, “and couldn’t be prouder of him.”