John Mateer Scouting Report

John Mateer combines his natural football instincts, arm talent, and athleticism to make impactful plays at the quarterback position.

Draft Grade: Round 3 - Adequate Starter

Strengths:

Arm Talent: Mateer can adjust ball trajectory, speed, and arm angles to fit passes into tight windows, making him effective in a variety of passing situations.

Pocket Presence: He demonstrates strong pocket awareness, feeling pressure, and stepping into open spots to deliver accurate throws.

Athleticism: Mateer’s athleticism allows him to be effective on designed quarterback runs, adding an additional dimension to his game.

Improvisation: When plays break down, Mateer uses his instincts to create positive opportunities, turning potentially negative situations into productive plays.

Concerns:

Staring Down Defenders: Mateer can sometimes lock onto his primary read, which may telegraph the throw to defenders and increase the risk of pass breakups or interceptions.

Size: His overall size may be a concern for some evaluators who prioritize strict height thresholds when assessing quarterbacks for NFL starting roles.

Arm Strength: Mateer shows good velocity on short- and intermediate-range throws, but his arm strength appears to diminish on deeper passes, which could limit his effectiveness on vertical throws.

John Mateer Summary/Projection:

John Mateer is a fourth-year collegiate quarterback who began his career at Washington State. He spent the 2024 season as the Cougars’ starting quarterback before transferring to the University of Oklahoma, making him an attractive transfer portal prospect. Mateer has displayed playmaking ability and the creativity to generate explosive offensive plays, which have made him a highly regarded addition to Oklahoma’s program.

Mateer’s game has multiple layers depending on the situation. In clean pockets, he efficiently works through his progressions, finds open receivers, and delivers accurate passes. He throws with good touch and ball trajectory and adjusts his arm angles to navigate traffic in the pocket. When defenders are close, he can drop his arm angle to a three-quarter or sidearm release to deliver the ball effectively.

The most exciting aspect of Mateer’s play is his improvisational ability. Using his athleticism and instincts, he can extend plays when the original design breaks down. Mateer can tuck the ball and run to gain yardage or extend the play downfield to find open receivers. His unconventional style makes him difficult for defensive coordinators to game plan against, as he consistently turns broken plays into positive outcomes.

Mateer’s athleticism is an underrated part of his skill set. He is a quick accelerator with the ability to pick up significant yardage on the ground. His athletic profile allows him to excel on designed quarterback runs, adding another element for defenses to account for and making him a dual-threat option in the offense.

There are two main concerns with Mateer’s game. First is arm strength. While he operates effectively in the short and intermediate passing game, his velocity appears to diminish on deeper throws. This limits his ability to consistently drive the ball downfield and may constrain playcalling in vertical situations.

The second concern is his tendency to stare down receivers. Mateer sometimes locks onto a target pre-snap and maintains focus on that receiver throughout the play. This can allow defenders to anticipate the throw and make plays on the ball. Improving his ability to manipulate defenders with his eyes and read the entire field would help him open passing windows and maximize his effectiveness.