Every year, one of the favorite pastimes of NFL draft analysts is trying to find pro player comparisons for the next class of top college prospects. Sometimes, those comparisons jump out immediately. Other times, it takes a little more digging, and even then it can be difficult to find the right fit.
The latter seems to be the case for Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler, who has NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah grasping for a player in the recent past who mirrors Rattler’s skill set in a significant way.
Jeremiah eventually landed on Jeff Garcia as a potential ceiling for Rattler:
This is a difficult one to find. I don’t see any obvious comparisons for Rattler. My hope is that he will turn himself into a Jeff Garcia type of player in the NFL. Garcia lacked the ideal size/frame, but he made things happen with his accuracy, mobility and playmaking skills. I do think Rattler has that potential. When he plants his feet, he’s very accurate. And he has the athleticism to make the off-schedule plays that allowed Garcia to flourish during his time in the pros. Rattler’s not there yet, but I can envision the 20-year-old eventually arriving at that level of play.
Rattler is widely regarded as potentially the top quarterback prospect in the nation, which could put him in the conversation for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft.
The big question for NFL teams will be, does a prospect with Garcia as a best-case scenario for his development warrant that high of a selection?
