New Oklahoma Sooners starting quarterback John Mateer has been impressive in spring football so far. He's turned some heads with his leadership ability off the field and his play on it. As OU looks to upgrade at the QB position after a rough go in 2024, it looks as though they've done just that.
On3 Sports college football analyst J.D. PicKell hasn't been shy about his thoughts on Mateer and the Sooners' new offense in 2025. After more good reports from Norman about thew quarterback, PicKell believes that Mateer's intangibles can take Oklahoma back to where they're used to being offensively.
"I keep saying this, because I think it's just so noteworthy; nobody is tippy-toeing around John Mateer being a dog," PicKell said. "Everyone in Norman is like, yeah he's a dude man. He's an absolute baller, we're gonna be in good shape with him pulling the trigger. Everything else, we'll see how it translates, but we feel good about John Mateer."
PicKell also believes that this mindset is undervalued across the college football landscape, and that more people should be taking notice of the way OU is talking about Mateer's first few practices in a Sooner uniform.
"I don't think we put enough value on that as a college football society," PicKell said. "When you say it with your chest during the spring, it means you feel 99 percent confident, you are not going to be wrong, otherwise you don't say it with your chest ... Oklahoma, they're telling everyone, we know we're right, John Mateer is a dog."
Mateer is hoping to be the next one in a long line of superstar OU quarterbacks, as the program has had a better run at the position than just about everyone throughout history, especially since 1999. That wasn't the case last year, when Jackson Arnold took over the starting gig it what was supposed to be his breakout season. Instead, Arnold was benched four games in, re-inserted into the lineup and saw an offensive coordinator change midseason.
After head coach Brent Venables hired Ben Arbuckle to call the shots on offense, Arnold entered the transfer portal this winter and ended up transferring to Auburn to play for head coach Hugh Freeze. He'll look to resurrect his college career with the Tigers, and he'll duel his replacement, Mateer, when Auburn comes to Norman on September 20th.
Mateer followed Arbuckle to OU from Washington State and now has the pressure of being the starter under center for the Sooners squarely on his shoulders. If early reports are any indication, he's got a chance to etch his name alongside some all-time Oklahoma greats at the quarterback position.
This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: J.D. PicKell praises John Mateer ahead of 2025 season.
