Two Oklahoma Players Named to Maxwell Award Watch List

Transfers John Mateer and Jaydn Ott are widely expected to be stars for Oklahoma, and they earned major preseason honors on Monday.

Mateer, a quarterback from Washington State, and Ott, a running back from Cal, were both named to the Maxwell Award Watch List.

The Maxwell Award is given annually to college football’s best all-around player, voted on by NCAA head coaches and sports journalists.

Mateer comes to Oklahoma with lofty expectations after thriving for the Cougars last year.

The quarterback threw for 3,139 yards, 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 2024, his lone season as WSU’s starting quarterback. He also ran for 829 yards and 15 touchdowns, averaging 4.6 yards per carry.

READ MORE OKLAHOMA SOONERS

• Why Oklahoma Expects DT Damonic Williams to Take 'Everything to Another Level'
• Five Oklahoma Players in Need of Strong Showings at Fall Camp
• How Oklahoma Analyst Kevin Wilson Can Improve Sooners' Offense

Mateer will be OU’s starter after the Sooners struggled to find a rhythm in the passing game throughout the 2024 season.

Oklahoma finished No. 121 out of 134 FBS programs in passing offense, averaging 175.8 yards per game.

Ott played three years for the Golden Bears, and his standout season came in 2023, when he ran for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns and also caught 26 passes for 196 yards and two touchdowns. His 2024 season was limited due to an ankle that forced him to miss multiple games.

Ott will be the leader of a deep running back room that also features returning backs Xavier Robinson, Taylor Tatum and Jovantae Barnes and freshman Tory Blaylock.

Altogether, the SEC had 17 players named to the Maxwell watch list, tying the Atlantic Coast Conference for the most of any league.

Three Sooners have previously won the Maxwell Award: wide receiver Tommy McDonald (1956), quarterback Jason White (2004) and quarterback Baker Mayfield (2017).

Semifinalists for the Maxwell Award will be unveiled on Nov. 11, while the finalists will be revealed on Nov. 25.

Oklahoma will open the 2025 season against Illinois State on Saturday, Aug. 30.