Spencer Rattler Set for Potential First NFL Start with New Orleans Saints

Spencer Rattler, a former quarterback for South Carolina, is poised to potentially make his debut as an NFL starter this weekend. Rattler is considered a “strong candidate” to step in for the New Orleans Saints in their upcoming game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

The Saints’ primary quarterback, Derek Carr, is questionable after sustaining an oblique injury during the team’s 26-13 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday. With Carr’s status uncertain, the Saints may call upon Rattler to fill the position. New Orleans is set to host Tampa Bay at 1 p.m. on FOX.

Throughout the preseason, Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener contended for the role of Carr’s backup. In the recent game against the Chiefs, Haener took over after Carr’s injury but struggled, completing only two of seven passes for 17 yards with neither touchdowns nor interceptions.

Though Rattler has yet to appear in an NFL regular-season match, his preseason statistics include 20 completions out of 38 attempts for 202 yards, with one touchdown and no interceptions. During his collegiate career in Columbia, Rattler amassed 6,212 passing yards, 37 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions.

Recognized as a five-star prospect in high school, Rattler was one of the nation’s most highly regarded quarterbacks from Pinnacle High School in Phoenix. He was the top-ranked quarterback in the 2019 recruitment cycle, as per a composite ranking system involving major recruiting media outlets.

Despite initial projections of a second-round NFL draft pick, Rattler fell to the fifth round, where the Saints selected him 150th overall. “I think they’re getting a guy with a huge upside,” noted Shane Beamer, who worked with Rattler in 2019. “Fantastic person, somebody that obviously, you know, I’ve been around since 2019 when we were together at Oklahoma.”

Beamer added that Rattler has faced significant adversity, including challenges at both Oklahoma and South Carolina. He noted, “His story? He has weathered some storms from what happened at Oklahoma, some of the adversity he felt he dealt with here at South Carolina with injuries and whatnot.”

Over his college career, Rattler recorded more than 10,800 passing yards, along with 77 touchdowns and 32 interceptions.