Oklahoma is typically well-represented when the ESPN College Football Top 100 player list comes out this time every year. The Sooners made the list again this year, along with 12 other teams out of the SEC, but unlike the majority of those other schools, only one OU player made the list.
It's not much of a surprise that OU quarterback John Mateer was included as one of the top 100 college players entering the 2025 season at No. 16, with 17 players at that position included in the top 100. What bothers me, however, is that no other Sooner at any offensive, defensive or special teams position was included, while 10 other SEC teams were represented by two or more players in the ranking.
John Mateer lone Sooner on ESPN College Football Top 100
Nine different Oklahoma players have been named to 11 preseason national award watch lists for the 2025 season and three Sooners (running back Jaydn Ott, defensive end R Mason Thomas and long-snapper Ben Anderson) have been recognized as 2025 preseason All-Americans. You would think someone in addition to Mateer from the list of Sooners receiving preseason national award attention and the three who are preseason All-Americans would be worthy of Top 100 consideration.
Players from 47 different schools made the ESPN Top 100, with the most coming from the SEC (35). The Big Ten was next with 27 players named to the Top 100, followed by the ACC with 18 and the Big 12 with 10. Quarterback was the most popular position represented in the ranking with 17 different players at that position and eight in the top 25, including Mateer. Five of the eight QBs ranked in the top 25 were from the SEC.
Defensive back was the second-best represented position group overall with 15 selections, and 14 linebackers were selected. Six of the 15 linebackers who made the list were out of the SEC, as well as four defensive backs. Texas led all SEC schools with six players selected to the Top 100 and QB Arch Manning at No. 23 behind Mateer. Alabama was next with five selections and LSU had four. Seventeen players out of the top 50 overall were from the SEC.
Clemson and Penn State led all teams with seven Top 100 selections each.
Oklahoma's low representation in the Top 100 ranking could very well be a reflection of last season's 6-7 record and nothing really to go by yet regarding all the new additions to the team, which of course would include Mateer.
The Sooners do, however, return eight starters from a defensive unit that ranked 17th among FBS teams last season in overall defense, including All-America candidate R Mason Thomas. That's why I am surprised there isn't at least one Oklahoma defensive selection, particularly on the defensive line, which several college football experts have recognized in recent months as the best in the SEC, if not the entire country.
My guess is if you were to revisit the Top 100 exercise midway through the 2025 season, there would be some adjustments, and we would probably see one or more OU players added to the list. At least I would hope so.
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