John Mateer isn’t the household name that Arch Manning is, but the new Oklahoma Sooners quarterback could soon be the darling of college football. Mateer transferred to Norman after a breakout year with Washington State, and he seems ready to face the mighty SEC.
On Monday, ESPN’s Greg McElroy rated Mateer as the No. 2 quarterback in the sport, behind only Clemson’s Cade Klubnik. McElroy also likened Mateer to a Sooners legend, 2017 Heisman Trophy winner and current Tampa Bay Buccaneers signal-caller Baker Mayfield.
Greg McElroy Makes Eye-Opening Baker Mayfield Comparison With John Mateer
“I do think, when I look at John Mateer, his skillset does remind me a little bit of a slightly more run-heavy Baker Mayfield,” McElroy said Monday on his podcast, “Always College Football.”
“They kinda look the same, but from a build standpoint, Baker Mayfield was more likely to kind of carve you up from the pocket. John Mateer, OK, he can carve you up from the pocket. Not quite like Baker Mayfield could. … But, man, he will kill you with his legs.”
Mateer helped lift the Cougars even during a trying time for the program, as it dealt with the tumult that accompanied conference realignment. McElroy pointed out that Washington State was 8-1 at one point last season.
“He beat Texas Tech. He beat Washington. He had a rushing touchdown in all but one game and had nearly 70% completion in seven of his 12 games. He led the FBS in touchdowns last year with 44, and was the only quarterback with 20 or more passing touchdowns and 10 or more rushing touchdowns,” McElrot explained.
Mateer moves to Norman with offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle. With Arbuckle calling the plays and Mateer dishing around the ball, Washington State ranked No. 12 in the nation in points per game last go-round.
McElroy can envision Mateer having the same impact at his new home as his Cougars predecessor had after relocating last offseason.
“Part of my evaluation here was how Cam Ward did at Miami. I will admit that helps,” McElroy said.
“We saw Cam Ward as the starting quarterback at Washington State two years ago. … We saw how he performed, the numbers he put up, how he made plays, and then we watched John Mateer step in and replace Cam Ward last year. And, a lot of those same plays that Cam Ward made, John Mateer was now making.”
Mateer and the Sooners will open the season against Illinois State in Norman on August 30. They’ll also face tough tests against Michigan, Auburn, Texas, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri, and LSU — a gauntlet of a schedule in the program’s second season in the SEC.
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