It's officially decision time for Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer.
With his redshirt-junior season over after the Sooners' 34-24 loss to Alabama on Friday night in the first round of the College Football Playoff, Mateer has to decide whether to enter the 2026 NFL Draft or return to college for his final year of eligibility, but up to this point, Mateer has echoed that he hasn't thought about his massive decision yet, including right after OU's season-ending loss.
John Mateer still contemplating NFL Draft decision
"Yeah, I haven't really thought about it yet," Mateer said when asked postgame about the decision. "I'm pretty sure I'll take some time and weigh all the options, and we'll see."
In his first season with the Sooners after transferring from Washington State, Mateer completed 62.2% of his passes for 2,885 yards and 14 touchdowns with 11 interceptions in 12 games. His numbers took a drastic dip after he broke the thumb on his throwing hand in the fourth game of the season, which he finished before missing just one game after undergoing surgery. However, even with the injury, a lot of Mateer's mistakes stemmed from his decision making and errant throws that were still present early in the season but against lesser opponents that didn't take advantage.
Mateer's late struggles have many experts and fans laughing at the thought of him heading to the NFL early. He led college football with 44 total TDs just a year ago at Washington State, though, and ESPN NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. has Mateer ranked as the fourth-best quarterback prospect in the class. This is also an overall lackluster QB class before what is expected to be a loaded group next year.
NFL or not is definitely a real choice for Mateer despite what some say. The decision could come down to betting on himself and the expectation to improve his draft stock with a healthy season at OU even in a deeper class, or get out now and use the NFL stage to prove doubters wrong.