3 reasons why reality show QB1 may have led to Spencer Rattler's slide in the 2024 NFL Draft
Spencer Rattler was selected 150th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, as the New Orleans Saints ended his slide in the fifth round. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that his appearance on QB1: Beyond the Lights as a high schooler in 2019 made teams hesitant to draft him, stating:
"Spencer Rattler did a reality show in high school. It's called QB1: Beyond the Lights. It did not make him look great. And it is unbelievable how many different teams mentioned to me the image of him in that show and how they can't get it out of their heads."
Check out Ian Rapoport's comments below:
Potential reasons why reality show QB1 may have led to Spencer Rattler's draft slide
#1: Trash talking his teammates
Spencer Rattler's appearance on QB1: Beyond the Lights led many to believe that the then-high school quarterback was arrogant.
One scene from the show stands out as the newest member of the New Orleans Saints trash-talked his teammates - including his backup quarterback and wide receivers - during practice.
Dana Scott of AZ Central Sports shared the clip to Twitter, captioning the post:
"Here’s a clip of @Netflix “QB1” on which former Phoenix Pinnacle QBs Spencer Rattler and JD Johnson competing together against the team defense and pushing each other as leaders of the team during and after the contest in practice in 2018."
#2: Being ruled ineligible to play with his team
Spencer Rattler was suspended and ruled ineligible during his senior year of high school football. The suspension was a result of him violating a district code of conduct.
Initially, he claimed that his absence from the field was the result of a sprained MCL; however, it was later revealed that he had been suspended.
While several rumors - including that he cheated academically and found himself in inappropriate situations, have allegedly led him to be ruled ineligible, the real cause of suspension has not been confirmed yet. Additionally, there were reports that the release of the season was delayed due to the suspension.
#3: Maturity and leadership concerns
Spencer Rattler has faced questions about both his maturity and leadership. He is a talented player who finished his career - split between the Oklahoma Sooners and South Carolina Gamecocks with 10,807 passing yards, 77 touchdowns and 32 interceptions while completing 68.5% of his passes.
But "QB1: Beyond the Lights" appears to have painted a picture of an immature player who lacked leadership qualities.
While it has been more than half a decade since the filming of the show, teams reportedly saw character traits that reminded them of his appearance on television. Rattler, who went through his five-year collegiate career without any incident, will look to prove the teams that passed on him wrong.