Ex-NFL Scout Discloses $1M Deal Offered To John Mateer

Former Washington State quarterback John Mateer was clearly a hot commodity this offseason—and now we have a clearer picture of just how valuable he was.

Speaking on the "3 & Out Podcast," former NFL scout John Middlekauff shared that Wazzu head coach Jake Dickert (now at Wake Forest) confirmed the school made a massive push to keep Mateer. 

“It’s been well reported,” Middlekauff said, “but before he left to Wake Forest, they offered John Mateer at Washington State a million dollars. He was that valuable to them that they got a million dollars together to pay him.”

Mateer ultimately turned down the seven-figure package and transferred to Oklahoma, where he’s now expected to compete for the starting job in the SEC. 

But Middlekauff added that the Sooners' gain wasn’t just Mateer—it was also a package deal with his offensive coordinator. 

“I think people were really high on him,” he said. “His offensive coordinator went with [him], so it was like a package deal.”

Mateer had a breakout year in 2024, throwing for 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns against just seven interceptions while completing 64.6% of his passes. 

He led Washington State to an 8–5 season before the Cougars saw major turnover in the program. 

Dickert left for Wake Forest, and Jimmy Rodgers was hired out of South Dakota State to take over the program.