New Orleans Saints Veteran Leader Praises Rookie Quarterback's Arm "The Aaron Rodgers Of High School Football"

New Orleans Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu knows talent and he clearly sees something in Saints' rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler.

Oct 21, 2023; Columbia, Missouri, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Spencer Rattler (7) / Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

There may not be a name that has ignited the New Orleans Saints fanbase more than rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler this offseason. The hype around the former South Carolina Gamecock is palpable. Even beyond the bounds of the Gulf Coast, the impact of the selection can be felt.

Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III called Rattler the "QB steal of the draft" after the Saints selected him in the fifth round of the 2024 selection process. Griffin cited Rattler's ability to manage the game pre-snap, make plays under pressure and arm talent in the process.

Rattler had an embattled journey into and through college. From his often-criticized Netflix docuseries appearance in "QB1: Beyond the Lights" to a tumultuous couple of years at Oklahoma, the 23-year-old quarterback is looking to buck expectations after two years at South Carolina.

Much like the fans, even Saints players themselves feel they see a lot in Rattler. Griffin continued his conversations around the young signal caller in his recent tête-à-tête with Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu, who spent his early career days with the Arizona Cardinals while Rattler played high school football in the same state. Turns out, Rattler's reputation as a star quarterback proceeded him.

"He was like the Aaron Rodgers of high school football," Mathieu said. "The kid could always spin the rock. Like I said, we all go through challenging stuff. I went through some of the same challenges as a youngster."

For all the off-field attention that Rodgers has garnered in the latter-days of his playing career, his on-field performance was always considered among the best in the league. Especially during Mathieu's days with the Cardinals. High praise for the rookie.

Mathieu went on to explain that Rattler is landing in a good spot for a young passer as well, highlighting the opportunity to learn from the team's starting quarterback Derek Carr. "He's going to get a lot of work with us," Mathieu said. "He's in a good room, too. (Derek Carr) is a good dude. He takes a lot of punches too. I think he'll learn from him. He'll learn a lot from him. Especially in his first year."

Carr addressed the idea of having another young passer in the building this week in his conversation with Zach Ewing of NOLA.com.

"I am 33 years old, Taysom is 33 years old. You have to eventually find someone to groom for the next several years to be that guy."

- Derek Carr

The best opportunity Rattler is going to get at the next level is going to start with landing in a supportive environment. With the vote of confidence from a veteran leader like Mathieu and the understanding nature of his selection from Carr, it sure sounds like he will be settling into exactly that here in New Orleans.