College football Week 2 belong to No. 18 Oklahoma Sooners quarterback John Mateer.
In a 24-13 victory over the No. 15 Michigan Wolverines on Saturday, the junior quarterback passed for 270 yards and a touchdown in leading the Sooners to a 2-0 record to start the season. In also rushing for a touchdown in the victory, the Washington State transfer showed he’s going to be a QB to watch in the 2026 NFL Draft.
With all focus on top QB prospects like Arch Manning, LaNorris Sellers, Drew Allar, Garrett Nussmeier and Cade Klubnik, NFL mock drafts may want to start paying attention to Mateer who does have a dual threat ability that he showed off against Michigan. More impressive is his delivery of his passes, often showing off his touch along with his ability to thread the ball into tight spaces.
This one play sums up the ability and talent of Mateer:
🔄 » 🎯@John_Mateer4 | ABC https://t.co/ScnrAujuXS pic.twitter.com/EOHBuLEGzl
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) September 7, 2025
The ability to escape and get the ball down field will have NFL teams hungry for a quarterback drooling over the Oklahoma gunslinger, especially if he delivers more plays like the highlight above.
3 NFL fits for John Mateer
With the fire Mateer played with in the win over Michigan, teams selecting late in the first round or on Day 2 will take a hard look at Mateer. A few NFL teams could look to draft Mateer as a prospect who can be an NFL caliber starter after a year of sitting behind a veteran. There is always the option of Mateer returning to school in 2026 and being a top QB prospect in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Either way, the following three teams should have Mateer on their radar:
Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers are going to be an intriguing team to watch in the 2026 NFL Draft and beyond. Aaron Rodgers is hinting at the possibility of playing beyond 2026, but even if he does and suits up for the Steelers for another season, the team will likely use a high pick on a quarterback. Mateer’ dual threat ability works for a Steelers’ offense that is looking to be more explosive with a balanced passing and rushing attack.
Los Angeles Rams: Sean McVay would work wonders with an athletic quarterback like Mateer. The Rams will have two first round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. One of those picks should be at QB with the longevity of Matthew Stafford up in the air. With the flexibility of having two first round picks, the Rams can address their secondary needs and get a talent at quarterback to either play behind Stafford or compete with Stetson Bennett as the Rams starter in 2026.
Miami Dolphins: The Dolphins are a team that is set at QB if Tua Tagovailoa is healthy. But, with his concussion history, Miami should look to address the future of the team at the QB position in the 2026 NFL Draft. With the depth of talent, a player like Mateer could fall to them early on Day 2. He has a similar ability as Tua as far as manipulating the pocket, getting the ball out quick and making plays down the field. In all, a nice fit in Miami if the longevity of Tua continues to fuel with uncertainty.