Since Matt Ryan left, the Falcons have appeared to overlook the quarterback position, and their mediocre performance is directly related to the subpar play behind the plate. This offseason, it must be resolved, and the Falcons should make several attempts to select their next franchise quarterback.
The greatest choice is to draft. In the NFL, landing a rookie quarterback is like finding a cheat code because it lets the front office assemble an All-Star team around a young signal caller at a low cost. If the Falcons select one, two, or three in the draft, it may be impossible for them to get Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, or Jayden Daniels. Nevertheless, they should make every effort to do so.
Terry Fontenot and Raheem Morris would then have to select from the next group of quarterbacks, which includes Bo Nix, Michael Penix Jr., and J.J. McCarthy.
Spencer Rattler of South Carolina, who shone in the Reese’s Senior Bowl, is a quarterback who seems to be gaining traction early in the selection process. It shouldn’t surprise anyone if the Falcons fall in love with one of those names and select him in the first round.
After three years of college, Spencer Rattler turned into the first overall choice in the draft, fulfilling the expectations of many who saw him as Oklahoma’s next Heisman Trophy winner after high school. However, the football gods occasionally have other ideas.
As a redshirt freshman, Spencer Rattler had a great season, throwing for over 3,000 yards and 28 touchdowns against just seven interceptions. But the next year would be much more difficult, as he would be benched in favor of Caleb Williams, the rookie phenom and this year’s expected first overall pick in the draft. Rattler decided to go to South Carolina, where he has made a lot of impressions over the last two years, while Riley left for USC.
Particularly this past season, South Carolina boasted one of the weakest offensive lines in NCAA football, therefore the Gamecocks offense was not nearly as effective as the one Rattler was a part of at Oklahoma.
Nevertheless, Rattler completed 69% of his passes and—perhaps more importantly—showed a great deal more maturity than he had shown in his early Oklahoma career.
Rattler is a fascinating talent, but projecting his draft stock is quite challenging. His early-career attitude raised serious concerns, and his lack of success under Lincoln Riley—a trait shared by most outstanding quarterbacks—harmed his prospects of making the NFL. Having said that, he seems like a much more mature player than he did a few years ago, and his arm skill undoubtedly gives him promise.
Spencer Rattler is a quarterback that I believe the Falcons will be considering outside of the first round, but if he keeps drawing attention before the draft, he might not go that far. Over the course of the next few months, it will be intriguing to watch how teams perceive him. On draft day, I wouldn’t be shocked if he ends up selecting over quarterbacks like Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix.
