Pros, cons of New Orleans Saints picking South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler in 2024 NFL Draft

COLUMBIA — Spencer Rattler from South Carolina football is officially an NFL rookie after being picked 150th overall by the New Orleans Saints in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL draft on Saturday.

Here's what Rattler brings to the Saints based on our own observations from his tenure at South Carolina:

What Spencer Rattler brings to New Orleans Saints in 2024 NFL Draft

Rattler is a dynamic quarterback with a strong throwing arm and quality accuracy. Rattler showcased his versatility for the Gamecocks, sitting in the pocket throwing against pressure or completing athletic, quick passes on the run. He can hit targets downfield, his passes look effortless and he confidently makes big plays.

The Gamecocks' leaky offensive line further emphasized Rattler's intelligence, athleticism and textbook throwing motion. Rattler is patient with the ball and can take contact in order to make a throw, extending plays for his offense. Rattler brings a strong physical foundation, an elite throwing arm and concrete fundamentals.

After transferring from Oklahoma, Rattler elevated his skills in the last two years, showcasing a work ethic and upward progression with his individual talents. The Gamecocks coaching staff speaks highly of Rattler's character and ability to overcome adversity on and off the field.

Spencer Rattler's highlights, strengths, weaknesses at South Carolina football

Rattler's clear strength is his throwing arm, which some have described as "out of this world." His strength lies in his ability to utilize his arm to make dynamic throws at a variety of levels, both in and out of the pocket.

Rattler faced a lot of pressure on throws for the Gamecocks and sat behind a offensive line that failed to completely protect him. Rattler still connected with his receivers productively downfield and managed to accelerate for quick passes on the run. A breakout performance from Rattler was his six-touchdown game against Tennessee in 2022 where he threw for 438 yards, completing 81.1% of his passes.

His obvious weakness is his size. Standing at only 6-foot, he struggles to throw over top defenders in the pocket. Rattler's decision making was inconsistent and while he made plays on the run, he lacks the elite speed that overcompensates for his lack of height.

Spencer Rattler's stats at South Carolina football

• Played three years at Oklahoma, two at South Carolina
• 900 completions (539 at South Carolina)
• 10,807 yards (6,212 at South Carolina)
• 77 touchdowns (37 at South Carolina)
• 410 rushing yards (150 at South Carolina)
• 16 rushing touchdowns (7 at South Carolina)
• 32 interceptions (20 at South Carolina)
• Ranks first in South Carolina football history in career completion percentage with .675.

Spencer Rattler player comparison in NFL

Rattler's 6-foot, 211 pound physical build mirrors Baker Mayfield, who stands at 6-foot-1, 215 pounds. Rattler's draft stock is nothing compared to Mayfield's in 2018. Rattler's 40-yard dash was 0.11 seconds slower but the two quarterbacks possess similar throwing arms and know how to create opportunities for their offense despite being undersized.

ROUND ONE:South Carolina's Spencer Rattler waiting after 6 QBs picked in 2024 NFL draft first round

Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at lkesin@gannett.com and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Lulukesin