Oklahoma's next quarterback could be on the way.
Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports and 247Sports reported Monday that Washington State quarterback John Mateer is expected to enter the transfer portal. The expectation has been that Mateer would follow his offensive coordinator, Ben Arbuckle, to Oklahoma after Arbuckle took OU's OC job earlier this month.
The current expectation is that Washington State star QB John Mateer is going to enter the transfer portal, sources tell me and @chris_hummer for @CBSSports/@247Sports.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 16, 2024
Mateer ranks fifth nationally with 330 yards per game of total offense. Has also accounted for 44 total TDs.… pic.twitter.com/e92MjB3HJT
In the only season as Arbuckle's QB1, Mateer threw for 3,139 yards and 29 TDs. He also rushed for 826 yards and 15 scores. His 44 total TDs was the most by any player in the country this season. He also ranked fifth in passing TDs and 16th in passing yards.
Arbuckle turned Mateer into one of the best quarterbacks in the country after he came out of Little Elm High School in Texas as a three-star recruit with only one FBS offer.
Now, as a sophomore, Mateer would be one of the top prospects in the transfer portal with multiple programs after him. 247Sports ranks Mateer as the No. 1 overall prospect currently in the transfer portal.
The Sooners obviously have a head start after hiring Mateer's offensive coordinator and with this season's starting quarterback, Jackson Arnold, transferring to Auburn. OU also hired Washington State quarterbacks coach John Kuceyeski.
Other multiple reports said Mateer will enter the transfer portal with a "Do not contact" tag, meaning he already knows where his next destination will be. 247Sports' Cougfan.com reported that "an unnamed SEC school" offered Mateer "an NIL package of about $3 million." According to CougFan, that's about three times more than what Washington State was believed to have offered.
CougFan also confirmed the screenshot of a message that was reportedly from Mateer informing his teammates that he was transferring to another school and wouldn't be able to play in the Cougars' bowl game.
Even outside of the coaching connections and more NIL money, Mateer would also be closer to home. His hometown of Little Elm is about a 2 1/2-hour drive to Norman.
Mateer would only be the Sooners' third transfer addition this cycle after Kennesaw State punter Jacob Ulrich and Stanford offensive lineman Luke Baklenko. Mateer would be a massive get, though, that could attract more talent, especially at receiver, where OU is getting desperate for players.