Saints end historic NFL Draft drought by selecting QB

Former South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Spencer Rattler. Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

Saints end historic NFL Draft drought by selecting potential 'heir apparent' to Derek Carr

By Eric Smithling | Last updated 4/27/24

Saints quarterback Derek Carr has some competition.

New Orleans ended a historic NFL Draft drought by selecting Spencer Rattler at No. 150 overall. Before his selection, there were 137 consecutive picks made without a quarterback coming off the board. According to ESPN's broadcast, that is the longest drought in the common draft era (since 1967).

The Saints also drafted a quarterback in the fifth round of last year's draft, Jake Haener, but Rattler has more pro upside.

NFL Network analyst and former Saints backup quarterback Chase Daniel believes that Rattler is Carr's "heir apparent" in New Orleans. Daniel also added that unless New Orleans begins the 2024 seasons hot under Carr, calls for Rattler to take over could grow.

Spencer Rattler to the #Saints

Heir apparent to Derek Carr…if Carr doesn’t play well early, you better believe the NOISE for Rattler is going to be LOUD https://t.co/OAmZAwEAnq pic.twitter.com/Pbf31ZHm9Q
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) April 27, 2024

Per 247Sports, Rattler was the top-ranked quarterback out of high school in the class of 2019, which also included 2024 first-rounders Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix.

The Athletic's Dane Brugler had a third-round grade on Rattler, his seventh-ranked quarterback in the 2024 draft class and one spot below Michael Penix Jr., who went No. 8 overall to the division-rival Falcons.

In his evaluation, Brugler wrote that the former South Carolina quarterback "has the arm talent, self-confidence, and work habits that give him a fighting chance to work his way up an NFL depth chart."

Rattler began his college career at Oklahoma, where he was supplanted as the team's starter by this year's No. 1 overall pick, Bears quarterback Caleb Williams.

He played at South Carolina the past two seasons and completed 67.5 percent of his passes, including a single-season program-record 68.5 percent in 2023, for 6,212 yards, 37 touchdowns and 20 interceptions.

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