It’s always smart to temper enthusiasm in the early weeks of the college season, especially given the vagaries of non-conference play, but that doesn’t mean stars haven’t started rising to the top of the must-watch list across the sport. In the latest episode of “Building The Beast,” on The Athletic Football Show, The Athletic’s NFL Draft expert Dane Brugler tracks two quarterbacks who’ve leapt off the screen and onto draft prospect watchlists already this season.

Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer (2:20)

“Mateer is giving LaNorris Sellers a serious run for most entertaining quarterback to watch in college football.”

The redshirt junior took his talents to primetime this year, entering the transfer portal as part of Washington State’s mass exodus last season. Perhaps the most dynamic player you’ve never watched, Mateer is a dual-threat dynamo with eye-popping numbers now testing his talent against SEC competition.

“Mateer has at least one rushing touchdown and one passing touchdown in 13 of his 14 career starts in college, including his first two with the Sooners,” Brugler says. “That’s incredible production, incredible efficiency. He’s accounted for 51 total touchdowns in his 14 starts.”

For context, Jayden Daniels accounted for 52 touchdowns in his final 14 starts at LSU. Granted, Mateer spent last year at Wazzu, but he just finished hanging 270 yards and a touchdown on then-No. 15 Michigan while also leading the Sooners in rushing with 74 yards and a pair of scores.

NFL Pipeline and comparisons

Norman has served as a launching pad to the NFL for transfer quarterbacks, and the 21-year-old’s enthusiasm for playing with the throttle wide open is drawing comparisons to his Sooner predecessor Baker Mayfield. Both are perhaps a bit undersized, but make up for any physical shortcomings with a willingness to let the dog hunt at all times. For Mateer to develop into the same draft prospect Mayfield became, however, he’ll have to learn restraint against SEC defenses.

“Part of it worries me with Mateer because he will take on contact and he’s not afraid, almost to his detriment at times. How are you going to be able to hold up, especially in the SEC? Hopefully, for Oklahoma, they’re playing 14-15 games this year, so that’s ultimately something we have to watch for with him,” Brugler says when comparing the two. “The other main difference, and this is a big one, I think Mayfield was the much more accurate passer. That is ultimately the question mark that I think we’re going to have with Mateer. Can he develop into just a more precise passer of the football? He puts a lot of hot sauce on his throws, needs to develop his touch, his desire to make a play.”

Oregon’s re-made quarterback Dante Moore (9:30)

“I think two things happened for him. First, he was humbled a little bit. Second, he learned how to play quarterback”

Moore began his career at UCLA, choosing the Bruins because he could start as a true freshman. It went poorly, to put it charitably, then he transferred to Oregon and spent a season behind Heisman finalist Dillon Gabriel while being coached up.

“I think Will Stein, the offensive coordinator for the Ducks, is someone scouts bring up as a rising star in this business,” says Brugler. “Him being able to mentor Dante Moore over the last year has really paid dividends, and we’re seeing it on the field here.”

Moore has supercharged the Oregon offense through two weeks, completing 77 percent of his passes for 479 yards and six touchdowns. The asterisk on those numbers (and the Ducks’ +112 point differential through two games) is the competition.

“Montana State in Week 1, an FCS program, and then Oklahoma State in Week 2. Could they be the worst team from a major conference? Yeah, maybe. They’re at least in that conversation,” Brugler says.

Passing the eye test even in early games

Despite some cupcake draws, Brugler believes Moore has shown a lot of next-level skills that don’t require Power 4 competition to appreciate.

“He deserves his due for the way he’s played. He’s got a really smooth stroke as a passer. And I’ve been really impressed with his pocket movements. He has a good feel for where the heat is coming from and just how to access the space around him to buy those little half seconds to let the route come open. So this is a good player. And now I think it’s up for debate just how good.”

Moore will get a proper test in a couple of weeks as the Ducks travel to Happy Valley and face a Penn State team loaded with NFL-caliber talent. If Moore keeps an Oregon team that was plundered by the draft rolling right through Big Ten competition, Brugler thinks he could face a big decision by year’s end.

“If he keeps this up, or anything close to it, he’s going to be in that mix, someone we’re talking about at Heisman time,” he says. “Then even after the year talking about, ‘Hey, you know, you have an NFL decision to make,’ and he’s in a good spot because either way he’s going to get paid. That’s just kind of how it works and today’s college football, right? And Oregon’s got the pocketbook. So yeah, if he continues to play at this type of level, we’ll be talking more about Dante Moore throughout the process.”

Bonus Prospect: Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq (13:40)

“He’s been my draft crush over the summer and through two games”

(Photo of Oklahoma’s John Mateer: Stacy Revere / Getty Images)