In the last 25 years, if there is one thing that the Oklahoma Sooners have done right, it is training their quarterbacks. With names like Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray lighting up the stat sheets and the scoreboard, it comes as no surprise that OU has earned the nickname QBU. And now, ESPN’s Bill Connelly has confirmed this.
In his new list of the top 90 college quarterbacks since 2000, there were seven Sooners. That doesn’t even include Josh Heupel or Caleb Williams. Even more intriguing is that OU is the only program with two quarterbacks in the top 10, three in the top 15, and five in the top 30. The legacy is one that the numbers back up. So, who are the top 10 QBs the Sooners have produced?
Oklahoma Sooners Top 10 Quarterbacks
10. Landry Jones
Now, Landry Jones is a name that is often overlooked in Oklahoma history. But there is no denying that he is one of the most prolific passers. He won a Big 12 title in 2010, shared another in 2012, and threw for over 4,000 yards in three seasons. While Jones did not have the flash, he had a steady hand that kept OU near the top of the college football mountain for years.
9. Jason White
Jason White is an OU legend, and rightly so. Despite having a questionable start with multiple knee injuries, White reinvented himself from a dual-threat quarterback into a sharp-shooting pocket passer.
White led Oklahoma to back-to-back BCS National Championship games in 2003 and 2004, won the Heisman in 2003, and finished third in 2004. Even though the Sooners did not win the title games, White is a beloved figure in Norman.
8. Jalen Hurts
Jalen Hurts was a Norman for one season. But boy-oh-boy, did he make it count! The Alabama transfer took over in 2019, leading OU to a Big 12 title. To make it even better, he almost brought them back from the dead in that unforgettable comeback against Baylor.
Hurts took them to the College Football Playoff, finishing second in Heisman voting to Joe Burrow. Jalen Hurts has a Super Bowl ring with the Eagles, making him the only Sooner QB ever to win one. It was a short stay, but the legacy is undeniably great.
7. Dillon Gabriel
Dillon Gabriel wasn’t born a Sooner, but he left one. He arrived during the transition and became the face of Brent Venables’ early tenure. In 2023, he delivered a 10-2 regular season and a win over Texas in the Red River Showdown.
If that wasn’t enough, he also had an eight-touchdown performance against West Virginia. By the end of his collegiate career, Gabriel finished second all-time in career passing yards.
6. Sam Bradford
Sam Bradford ran the Air Raid offense like a machine. In 2008, he threw for 4,720 yards and 50 touchdowns. The Sooners dropped 60+ points in five straight games, and Bradford walked away with the Heisman.
However, a shoulder injury in 2009 hindered his numbers a bit. But there is no fighting his legacy. For a reason, he was the No. 1 pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.
5. Kyler Murray
Murray was the best of what OU had to offer in 2018. He transferred to OU from Baker Mayfield just a year before. Murray made 5,300 total yards, scored 54 touchdowns, and won the Heisman. To make it even better, he was a first-round MLB draft pick. Murray’s lone season will be remembered for a long time to come!
4. Josh Heupel
Heupel might not be on the ESPN list, but let’s give him the flowers he deserves. He was the one who got the Air Raid rolling in Norman.
In 2000, Heupel led Oklahoma to its first national title in 15 years, was a Heisman finalist, and set the tone for everything that came after. Without Heupel, there’s no Mayfield, no Murray, no QBU. Now, Heupel is continuing his offensive legacy as the head coach at the University of Tennessee.
3. Caleb Williams
Williams’ stint at OU was a short one. But it is far from negligible. The skills he acquired at USC were built on the OU fields. After replacing Spencer Rattler mid-season in 2021, Williams immediately became the guy, pulling off a miraculous comeback against Texas in the Red River Showdown. However, after Lincoln Riley left, Williams followed him and moved to USC. At USC, he won the Heisman trophy.
2. J.C. Watts
One name that often flies under the radar in conversations about Oklahoma’s greatest quarterbacks is J.C. Watts. Watts led the Sooners from 1979 to 1980. He led the team to back-to-back Orange Bowls.
Watts was also the key to Barry Switzer’s option-heavy offense. Beyond the gridiron, Watts’ leadership extended into politics, where he went on to serve as a U.S. Congressman.
1. Baker Mayfield
Mayfield is perhaps the most iconic player that Oklahoma has ever had. After transferring from Texas Tech, Mayfield led the Sooners to three Big 12 championships, two College Football Playoff berths, and a Heisman Trophy.
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He ranks No. 11 all-time in career passing yards, bringing OU back to national prominence. Mayfield turned OU into a perennial title contender again, and he’s still winning, now with the Bucs.
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