Is OU QB John Mateer Being DISRESPECTED By The National Media?

CBS Sports recently dropped their quarterback tiers for the 2026 season, and they placed Oklahoma’s John Mateer in the “High ceiling, low floor” group.

Here’s what David Cobb wrote about him: "A September thumb injury derailed the early-season Heisman buzz surrounding Mateer. But he gritted through it and got the Sooners into the CFP. He's a fearless gunslinger who is unafraid to lower his shoulder as a runner. It's a risky way to live, but he's got serious upside."

All of that is true, but it still feels like Mateer is being undersold nationally.

Let’s be real, we saw what Mateer can be. Before that thumb injury last September, he was leading the Heisman conversation. He was playing at an elite level and looked like the best quarterback in the country.

Then he got hurt, gutted it out, and still helped get OU into the playoff. Now he’s healthy, in year two in Norman, and somehow he’s not even in the “Obvious Heisman Candidates” or “All-conference caliber vets” tier? That feels like recency bias at its finest.

The supporting cast around Mateer is significantly better than it was a year ago. Isaiah Sategna III is back with his elite speed. Xavier Robinson and Tory Blaylock return in the backfield. Then you add transfers like Parker Livingstone, Trell Harris, Hayden Hansen, and Rocky Beers. That’s a loaded group of skill players.

If the offensive line takes the step forward we’ve all been waiting on and the run game becomes more consistent, Mateer should have everything he needs to put up big numbers week after week.

I get that he wasn’t the same guy after the injury. The accuracy dipped and the turnovers went up. But writing him off as “high ceiling, low floor” because of how he looked while playing banged up feels unfair.

If he’s fully healthy, and everything we’re hearing says he is — then why isn’t he getting more respect as a potential Heisman contender again?

This feels like the classic “what have you done for me lately” mentality in sports media.

People remember the shaky second half of last season more than the dominant first month. That’s clouding their judgment on what Mateer’s full potential looks like in 2026.

If Mateer stays upright, plays with confidence, and the pieces around him execute, he has the talent to be in the Heisman conversation all year. And if that happens, Oklahoma has the defense and the roster to make serious noise in the SEC and the playoff.

Mateer has that dog in him. He’s a fearless competitor who plays with swagger. Those are the kinds of quarterbacks who thrive in big moments.

The talent and supporting cast are there. Now it’s about staying healthy and proving the doubters wrong.

I think Mateer is being disrespected a bit right now, but in the end, he could get the last laugh.