The Oklahoma Sooners will have a historic six former quarterbacks starting games in the National Football League this week. Three of those players (Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, and Jalen Hurts) finished their careers in Norman, while the other three (Spencer Rattler, Caleb Williams, and Dillon Gabriel) finished their careers elsewhere. 

All told, every primary starting quarterback from 2015 to 2023 for OU will be starting for one of the 32 NFL teams this weekend. That time frame spans nine seasons and three head coaches at Oklahoma: Bob Stoops, Lincoln Riley, and Brent Venables. 

In fact, only three games in those nine seasons were started by someone other than these six QBs. Austin Kendall started in a win over Baylor in 2018. He played only the first offensive series before Murray, who was being disciplined for oversleeping and being late to a meeting that week, came into the game and led a 66-33 romp. 

Davis Beville started against Texas in 2022, in the infamous 49-0 loss in Venables’ first season. With Gabriel out due to a concussion he’d suffered in the prior game against TCU, the Beville-led Sooners were held scoreless in a day OU fans would rather forget. 

In the 2023 loss to Arizona in the Alamo Bowl, it was Jackson Arnold who got the start after Gabriel transferred to Oregon. The Sooners were defeated 38-24 that night, in what ended up becoming a sign of things to come for what was supposed to be the Arnold Era in Norman.

Other than those three instances in 118 games, each starting quarterback for the Sooners from 2015 to 2023 will be trying to lead his NFL team to victory this week. Here is a preview for each of those six signal-callers this weekend.

Dillon Gabriel: Browns vs. Steelers, Sunday 12:00 p.m. CT

Dillon Gabriel began his college career at UCF, playing for the Knights from 2019 to 2021, before transferring to OU for 2022 and 2023. After two solid seasons with the Sooners (especially in 2023), Gabriel transferred to Oregon for the 2024 season, where he was excellent for the Ducks.

After being drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the third round, Gabriel was named the backup quarterback behind Joe Flacco. The rookie made his first start last week in London in a loss to the Vikings, and he’s QB1 in the Dawg Pound now, after the Browns traded Joe Flacco away earlier this week. His second career start comes against the rival Pittsburgh Steelers on the road. 

Caleb Williams: Bears vs. Commanders, Monday 7:15 p.m. CT

Caleb Williams started his time at OU as the backup quarterback but spent just half a season in that role before taking over the starting gig as a true freshman in 2021. After coming off the bench to help the Sooners come back and beat Texas, he was the starter for the rest of the season in Norman. After Riley left to coach at USC, Williams followed him to suit up for the Trojans in 2022 and 2023. Williams won the Heisman Trophy in 2022 and followed it up with a solid season the next year. 

The Chicago Bears made him the top overall pick in the draft, and he’s been the starter since Day 1. After a rocky year last year, Williams still has plenty to prove at the pro level, but he’s had some good moments this year. A Monday Night Football showcase against Jayden Daniels (the No. 2 choice in the same draft) and the Washington Commanders is a great opportunity for Williams. 

Spencer Rattler: Saints vs. Patriots, Sunday 12:00 p.m. CT

Spencer Rattler was a backup for the Sooners in 2019, before becoming the starter ahead of the 2020 season. After a bit of a rocky start to that year, Rattler found his footing and helped OU win another Big 12 title. Big expectations in 2021 followed, but he was benched after a poor performance against Texas that season and never regained the job. Rattler transferred to South Carolina, where he played well in 2022 and 2023 with the Gamecocks. 

Rattler was a fifth-round pick in the draft by the New Orleans Saints and got some starts last year when Derek Carr was injured. With Carr retiring this offseason, Rattler won a battle for the starting job, and has held onto it, despite the Saints being 1-4 to open the season. A tough game against the New England Patriots looms, but Rattler did help lead the first win of the season for New Orleans last week. 

Jalen Hurts: Eagles vs. Giants, Thursday 7:15 p.m. CT

Jalen Hurts began his storied career at Alabama, playing for the Crimson Tide from 2016 to 2018. After his run in Tuscaloosa, he decided to spend his final college season in Norman. In 2019, Hurts was the Heisman Trophy runner-up and led the Sooners to a Big 12 title and a berth in the College Football Playoff. He’s the most recent OU player to finish in the top ten in Heisman voting, and the most recent Oklahoma QB to take the team to the CFP. 

The Philadelphia Eagles made him a second-round draft pick, and he became the full-time starter in 2021, his second season in Philly. Since then, Hurts has taken the Eagles to two Super Bowls, including a win in Super Bowl LIX last year. The reigning Super Bowl MVP is one of the best players in the league, but Philadelphia comes into this matchup with the New York Giants having just suffered their first loss of the season. 

Kyler Murray: Cardinals vs. Colts, Sunday 12:00 p.m. CT

Kyler Murray’s career began at Texas A&M in 2015, before he transferred to OU after that season. In 2016 he redshirted, and in 2017 he was the backup. However, Murray broke onto the scene in 2018, leading the Sooners to the Big 12 title and a spot in the CFP. He won the Heisman Trophy for his efforts, in what would end up being his final season at the college level. 

Murray was picked first overall by the Arizona Cardinals, and he’s been the starter when healthy for the franchise since then. After a promising start to his career, he suffered a torn ACL in 2022 that forced him to miss most of 2023. Murray has rebounded nicely from the injury, and he’s stuck around in Arizona to help the Cardinals through their rebuild. The surprising Indianapolis Colts await for Murray and his team, as the Cardinals are still learning how to win big games with their new core around Murray. 

Baker Mayfield’s college career started at Texas Tech in 2013. After surprising everyone there as a true freshman, he decided to transfer to Oklahoma after that season. Mayfield redshirted in 2014, but served as the OU starter in 2015, 2016 and 2017. His time with the Sooners was nothing short of spectacular, as he led three conference title squads, took OU to the CFP twice, and finished in the top four of Heisman voting each year. In his final collegiate season in 2017, Mayfield won the Heisman Trophy, and was the face of college football. 

The Cleveland Browns picked Mayfield first overall, and he spent four seasons in the Dawg Pound. Despite helping the Browns win their first playoff game since the mid-1990s, Cleveland traded him to the Carolina Panthers before the 2022 season. A rocky ride with the Panthers led to Mayfield being cut and picked up by the Los Angeles Rams with five games left in the season. Those five games help Mayfield revitalize his career, and he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ahead of the 2023 season. He’s been with the Bucs ever since, finding a perfect home in Tampa. He’s in the midst of Year 3 with the franchise, and he’s been the catalyst for a 4-1 start. A big game against the San Francisco 49ers is coming up on Sunday, and the Buccaneers will be relying on Mayfield to will them to another win against a fellow 4-1 squad.

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