Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer was in the seventh grade the last time the Sooners' QB1 didn't go on to start an NFL game, and the NFL QB factory in Norman was founded even before then.
With Dillon Gabriel being named the Cleveland Browns' starting quarterback this week, there will be six quarterbacks starting during Week 5 of the NFL season that spent at least one season at OU. That means every starting QB for the Sooners since 2015, unless still in college, is starting in the NFL right now.
Six former Sooners starting at QB in NFL
Baker Mayfield started this insane streak after leading the Sooners for three seasons before becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft to the Browns. Mayfield has since revitalized his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and has emerged as an early NFL MVP candidate this season.
After Mayfield, Kyler Murray started all but one game in 2018 while winning the Heisman Trophy and becoming the top draft pick just like Mayfield. Murray has been the Arizona Cardinals' franchise QB ever since.
Jalen Hurts then transferred from Alabama to guide the Sooners for a season in 2019. After being a steal in the second round, Hurts just quarterbacked the Philadelphia Eagles to a Super Bowl title and won Super Bowl MVP last season.
Respect.@JalenHurts x @bakermayfield #OUDNA 🧬 | 📺 NFL+ pic.twitter.com/tuC1dXTfr9
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) September 28, 2025
Between 2020-23, one of either Spencer Rattler, Caleb Williams or Gabriel started most of OU's games at quarterback during at least one season before eventually transferring elsewhere to finish their careers. Williams was the No. 1 pick in 2024 to the Chicago Bears out of USC, while Rattler went in the fifth round out of South Carolina that same year and took over the New Orleans Saints this season.
The haters will say Oklahoma's QB factory was created by Lincoln Riley, but even before Riley arrived to Norman, Sam Bradford and Landry Jones went on to be starting NFL quarterbacks, with Bradford being a No. 1 pick. Gabriel also never played under Riley in his two seasons at OU before finishing his career at Oregon last season.
Last season at OU, Jackson Arnold started nine games for the Sooners, while Michael Hawkins Jr. started four. Arnold has since transferred to Auburn as a former five-star recruit and Hawkins is still OU's backup as a sophomore, but will start on Saturday to replace an injured Mateer.
Mateer took over as the Sooners' QB1 this season and quickly emerged as a Heisman favorite, which also created first-round pick buzz, which would eventually continue the Sooners' reign as QBU.
It doesn't matter who's coaching or how long a player is there, there's just something in the air in Norman that creates NFL talent, and the proof can be found any given Sunday.
Read more about OU football