CFB analyst suggests Sooners quarterback could be next Baker Mayfield, bringing back Oklahoma tradition of top NFL pipeline
The Oklahoma Sooners are one of the premier programs in college football when it comes to churning out NFL talent. One of their most recent elite achievements was becoming the first program in the modern era to produce back-to-back number one overall picks in 2018 and 2019 with Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray. Since, Oklahoma […]
The Oklahoma Sooners are one of the premier programs in college football when it comes to churning out NFL talent. One of their most recent elite achievements was becoming the first program in the modern era to produce back-to-back number one overall picks in 2018 and 2019 with Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray.
Since, Oklahoma has only had one quarterback drafted in Jalen Hurts. However, the Sooners' latest transfer portal has many buzzing, and one analyst thinks John Mateer could reignite the Sooners' tradition of top picks in the NFL Draft.
Mateer had an incredible season in 2024 with the Washington State Cougars, throwing for 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns while tacking on another 826 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground.
His advanced analytics are also staggering. Mateer ranked fifth in total EPA and EPA/dropback, 11th in yards per attempt, and fifth in success rate. These metrics put him in the conversation with quarterbacks like Cam Ward, the likely top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and Will Howard, the national championship-winning quarterback.
Mateer's playstyle will endear him to many fans as well, with his swagger on the field and natural playmaking ability as a dual-threat quarterback. He has work to do in refining his mechanics and growing as a processor, but it's hard not to enjoy how he operates on the field.
Now, Mateer follows his elite offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle to the Sooners with much better talent around him and an elite defense to build with.
Any conversation around the NFL feels very premature at this stage, given Mateer has just one year of starting experience under his belt. However, the hype feels justified with his production and play last year in 2024. Maybe Mateer is finally the answer and can be Oklahoma's first quarterback drafted since Hurts in 2020.
