Ranking the Top 10 best Oklahoma QBs in the NFL feat. Kyler Murray, Jalen Hurts, and more
The Oklahoma Sooners football roster has always been a treasure of talent. In their history, the quarterback position has been graced by some true legends. From the iconic Josh Heupel to the prolific Landry Jones, the Sooners boast some quarterback legacy.
Other than Huepel and Jones, others who top the list are Sam Bradford and Jason White. Not to forget the dynamic duo of Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray. They were the consecutive Heisman winners and No. 1 NFL draft picks. These QBs find their names etched in Sooner's folklore.
Let’s dive into the rankings of the top 10 best Sooners QBs.
10. J.C. Watts (1978-80)
J.C. Watts holds the number 10 spot in our list of top 10 QBs for the Oklahoma Sooners. Watts made his presence felt on the gridiron. He recorded 1,322 rushing yards and 1,917 passing yards.
His leadership saw the Sooners just losing four games from 1978-1980. He led the team to three consecutive Orange Bowl victories.
9. Jalen Hurts (2019)
In 2019, Jalen Hurts transferred to the Oklahoma Sooners from the Alabama Crimson Tide. He didn’t take much time to light up the field for the Sooners. Hurts amassed 3,851 yards and 32 TDs and led Oklahoma to a College Football Playoff appearance. He was unable to win the championship though.
Jalen Hurts moved to the NFL in 2020 as the No. 53 draft pick for the Philadelphia Eagles. Hurts spearheaded the Eagles attack and led them to Super Bowl 57.
8. Landry Jones (2009-12)
Landry Jones took the mantle of being a Sooners QB from the legendary Sam Bradford. It was not easy to fill Bradford's shoes, but Jones managed to make a mark in Sooners' history.
Jones delivered mindblowing performances while recording 16,646 passing yards and 123 touchdowns, the most in Sooners' history. Although he had 52 interceptions, his antics propelled the Sooners to a 32-8 record in his final three seasons. Landry Jones led Oklahoma to a Fiesta Bowl victory against the Connecticut Huskies in 2011.
7. Steve Davis (1973-75)
Steve Davis did not have that star image about himself. Neither was he a passing maestro. Still, his influence on the Oklahoma Sooners can’t be just described by his stats. He led the Sooners to dual national titles in 1974 and 1975.
During his time with Oklahoma, the team maintained an impressive 32-1-1 record. Steve Davis boasts 4,031 all-purpose yards as QB. He certainly was the architect of a golden era for the Oklahoma Sooners.
6. Jamelle Holieway (1985-88)
In 1985, as a true freshman, Jamelle Holieway stepped into the spotlight. He was replacing the injured Troy Aikman. Making an instant impact, Holieway led the Sooners to an 11-1 season. During his four years at the Sooners, Jamelle recorded 2,430 passing yards and 2,713 rushing yards.
His performance helped Oklahoma to a victory over No. 1 Penn State in the Orange Bowl in 1986. His remarkable feat made him the first true freshman in college football history to guide his team to a national title.
5. Jason White (1999-2004)
Jason White was a dual-threat QB. Despite two ACL injuries limiting his mobility, his rocket arm became his focal quality. In 2003, he led the Sooners to a 12-2 season, a national title game, and clinched the Heisman Trophy with 3,846 yards, 40 TDs, and a 61.6% completion rate.
White developed a strong partnership with running back Adrian Peterson. The duo guided the Sooners back to the national title game in 2004 in a 12-1 season, but the team succumbed to the USC Trojans.
4. Sam Bradford (2007-09)
Sam Bradford made a thunderous entry in 2007 for the Oklahoma Sooner. He passed for 3,121 yards and 36 TDs in his debut year as a starter. However, 2008 marked his peak.
He clinched the Heisman Trophy, recording 50 TDs, 4,720 yards, and a 67.9% completion rate. Sam Bradford spearheaded the Sooners to the BCS national championship game in 2008.
3. Josh Huepel (1999-2000)
In 1999, Heupel took college football by storm with Bob Stoops as head coach. His first season ended at 7-5, but 2000 was the year for Josh Heupel. He led the Oklahoma Sooners to an undefeated season and a national title.
Heupel was the main man in the iconic ‘Red October’ month in 2000 with victories over then No. 11 Texas, No. 2 Kansas State, and No. 1 Nebraska. His performance earned him the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2000. Josh Heupel is currently serving as the head coach for the Tennessee Volunteers.
2. Kyler Murray (2017-18)
Kyler Murray transferred to th University of Oklahoma in 2015 but had to miss the 2016 season due to NCAA transfer regulations. Although, he had a meteoric rise in 2018. He became the first QB to amass over 4,361 passing and 1,001 rushing yards with 42 touchdowns in a single season.
Taking over from the evergreen Baker Mayfield, he secured Oklahoma's fourth consecutive Big 12 championship. Kyler Murray won the Heisman Trophy in 2018 and gave the Sooners two consecutive Heisman winners, the first being Baker Mayfield in 2017.
1. Baker Mayfield
Baker Mayfield arrived at Norman in 2014 after a stint with Texas Tech. Being named the starting quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners in 2015, Mayfield never looked back. Come 2017, there was nothing stopping Baker Mayfield from causing mayhem in college football.
He recorded 4,627 passing yards, 311 rushing yards and 43 TDs. During his three years at the Sooners, Mayfield had 14,607 passing yards, 1,083 rushing yards, and 132 touchdowns. Baker Mayfield won the Heisman trophy in 2017 and was the No.1 NFL draft pick in 2018 for the Cleveland Browns.