Saints draft South Carolina QB Spencer Rattler in 5th round - ESPN

METAIRIE, La. — The New Orleans Saints selected South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler with the first of three fifth-round picks Saturday.

Rattler was the first quarterback to come off the board since Day 1, when six quarterbacks were selected in the first round. «At the end of the day it's a blessing to get picked wherever,» Rattler said Saturday. «I knew we were waiting around a day or two but I had faith that I would be picked today.… I was very happy the Saints came and picked me, what a great feeling.»

Rattler said that he took a pre-draft visit to New Orleans and had dinner with Saints quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko. Rattler said the visit went great and he had a feeling the Saints could be in the mix to select him.

Rattler joins a quarterback room that includes starting quarterback Derek Carr, who signed an four-year deal worth up to $150 million with the Saints in free agency in 2023, veterans Kellen Mond and Nathan Peterman and 2023 fourth-round pick Jake Haener. He is the third pick for the Saints in the 2024 draft behind Oregon State offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga and Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry, who was taken in the second round.

Saints coach Dennis Allen said Friday that the Saints did not make any move to trade up to get one of the first six quarterbacks off the board in the first round.

«I think anytime there's a quarterback you think has a chance to be your future quarterback, then I think it's always something that you're going to consider,» Allen said Friday. «There was zero effort on our part to move up for a quarterback.… Obviously we feel good about the quarterbacks that we have and yet I think you're always looking to make sure that you're secure in your future. But that was not a