John Mateer
Oklahoma#154 overallDraft Movement
Down 10 spots since Jun 8
Scouting Report
Mateer is a fiery, undersized playmaking quarterback who began at Washington State before transferring to Oklahoma, and evaluators keep circling back to a Baker Mayfield comparison: a size outlier with an edge and a live arm. Bleacher Report's Damian Parson hands him a 7.0 grade (high-level backup with starter upside, third-round value), slotting him QB9 and 105th overall, while Sam Teets ranks him 185th and NFL Mock Draft Database has him at a consensus #141 with a projected fifth-round landing spot for 2027. The arm talent is genuine: passes arrive with power and velocity, he fits tight intermediate windows, and a snappy, near-sidearm release lets him drop arm slots to whip throws around rushers. He extends plays as well as anyone in the class and throws well on the move outside the pocket. As a runner he is a real weapon, forcing 53 missed tackles in 2024, fourth among all FBS offensive players. The flip side is consistency. He is a streaky, hit-or-miss passer whose accuracy decays the further downfield he throws, with line-drive deep balls that lack arc and touch. The gunslinger mentality breeds turnover-worthy plays; he chases chunk gains, passes up checkdowns, and locks onto reads. After hand surgery in 2025 he rushed back in 17 days and his play dipped, including a three-interception game against Texas. He projects as a developmental, possibly scheme-specific starter who must protect both the ball and his body.
Strengths
- Genuine NFL-caliber arm with power and velocity into tight intermediate windows
- snappy, near-sidearm release that lets him alter arm slots to throw around defenders in the pocket
- elite play extension, breaking the pocket to manufacture second-chance offense
- throws well on the move outside structure while keeping his eyes downfield
- dynamic dual-threat runner who forced 53 missed tackles in 2024 (4th among all FBS offensive players)
- strong zip and good timing on short and intermediate throws
- climbs the pocket and shows play strength to wrestle free from sacks
- tough competitor willing to deliver through contact
Weaknesses
- Undersized at roughly 6-0 to 6-1, with measurables well below NFL standards
- streaky pocket passer whose accuracy and ball placement come and go
- accuracy worsens deep, with flat line-drive throws that lack arc and touch and get underthrown
- gunslinger decision-making creates turnover-worthy plays and puts the ball in harm's way
- chases big plays, passes up checkdowns, and needs better situational awareness
- tends to stare down and lock onto primary reads
- unorthodox mechanics with a leg-kick, pirouette follow-through that need cleaning up
- runs recklessly and must learn to protect his body for the NFL
NFL Comparison
Baker Mayfield (most-cited comp: size outlier with edge, live arm, and improvisational creativity); Gardner Minshew (undersized gunslinger who plays hero ball outside structure); Cam Ward (the transfer-to-marquee-QB1 development path scouts invoke); Sam Leavitt (fellow backyard-football dual threat with deep-third accuracy questions)
College Stats
2024 (Washington State): 65% comp, 3139 yds, 29 TD, 7 INT, plus rushing production and 53 forced missed tackles (4th among FBS offensive players); 2025 (Oklahoma, full): 62% comp, 2885 yds, 14 TD, 11 INT, 8 rush TD; 2025 (9-game split cited): 64% comp, 2086 yds, 8 TD, 7 INT, 95 rush att, 424 rush yds, 7 rush TD
Measurables
Awards & Honors
3-star recruit (class of 2022), bumped to 4-star transfer; BR scouting grade 7.0 / QB9 / 105th overall; Sam Teets top-300 big board (185th); NFL Mock Draft Database consensus #141, projected 5th round (2027); about 80 mock draft appearances