ESPN insider explains why John Mateer could 'really climb up' NFL Draft boards

As Oklahoma navigated the transfer portal this past cycle, the program made a splash at quarterback. Former Washington State QB John Mateer committed to the Sooners and will continue working with offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle as a result.

Mateer will also have the opportunity to further improve his NFL Draft stock. ESPN’s Jordan Reid thinks he’ll have an opportunity to do just that.

Reid predicted Mateer could be a big riser ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. He was one of the top players to enter the portal this offseason and is coming off a huge year at Wazzu, but what stood out was how impressive he was as a runner. As a result, the excitement is building.

“He’s really caught my eye, honestly,” Reid said of Mateer on The Paul Finebaum Show. “Coming over from Washington State where he threw for a ton of yards, he was really productive in that system there.

“But I think an underrated factor about him is just the mobility. He actually rushed for over 800 yards last year, which was a stat that really caught my eye when I was doing my research on him and it shows up in the tape, as well. But the competitiveness that he plays with, I think he’s by far one of the more competitive players in the country this year.”

Mateer arrived at Oklahoma as the No. 3 overall player to enter the transfer portal, according to the On3 Industry Transfer Rankings. That came after a monster year at Washington State as he threw for 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns while adding 826 rushing yards and 15 scores on the ground.

As a result, his draft stock is sure to be on the rise, and an early statement opportunity awaits in Week 2 against Michigan. While Oklahoma brought in some other big portal targets – led by running back Jaydn Ott – John Mateer is sure to be the focal point of the offense and hope to be a top name next spring.

“This is a big year for Oklahoma, in my opinion,” Reid said. “I think this is a make-or-break season for Brent Venables. They have to figure it out. They’ve done a good job in the portal bringing in some guys, and Mateer is really the headliner along with running back Jaydn Ott, who’s going to receive a lot of notoriety coming into the season, too.

“I’m excited to see what Mateer does this year, but I think he has a chance to really climb up boards, especially if he plays well in that Week 2 matchup against Michigan.”