Josh Pate names the best quarterback in the SEC after Week 3

Josh Pate shakes up SEC quarterback rankings with bold reshuffle.

College football analyst revisited his SEC quarterback rankings ahead of Week 4, placing Oklahoma's John Mateer at the top of the list. | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The first three weeks of the SEC season have already turned preseason expectations upside down. College football analyst Josh Pate admitted as much on his show on Tuesday when he revisited his quarterback rankings, a list he says has been turned “sideways quickly” across the conference.

Pate had entered the year fairly confident in his order. He tabbed DJ Lagway No. 1, Arch Manning No. 2 and LaNorris Sellers No. 3. That trio did not crack his updated top five, with only Sellers clinging to the back end. Instead, Pate elevated a player many doubted in the preseason, Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer, as his new No. 1.

“Yeah, it’s John Mateer,” Pate said. “I regret not putting him higher in my preseason. I did pick him to win the Heisman after all, but even I wanted him to earn it a little bit. Well, he has earned it.”

John Mateer Surges To The Top Of The SEC

Mateer’s rapid start has given Oklahoma everything it hoped for in his first year running the offense.

Pate noted how valuable it has been that Mateer brought his coordinator with him and had strong receiving talent already in place. That continuity has allowed the Sooners to avoid the early growing pains many expected.

Oklahoma Sooners quarterback John Mateer (10) has passed for 944 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions and added 161 yards and four scores on the ground. | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

“We were there in living color for the Michigan game,” Pate said. “We won’t be there for the Auburn game, but they’ve got Auburn this weekend. Everything they could have hoped for, at least in the first portion of the season, he’s delivered.”

For Pate, naming Mateer the conference’s best quarterback is no longer controversial. The Heisman pick is now delivering at the exact level Oklahoma envisioned when it committed to him, validating the faith Pate placed in him months ago.

Surprises And Shifts In The Rest Of The Top 10

Behind Mateer, the list featured both familiar names and fresh risers. Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green earned the No. 2 spot after strong showings despite the Razorbacks’ slow start. Tennessee’s Joey Aguilar ranked third, credited for his ability to hang 38 points on Georgia and for his efficient stat line.

Missouri quarterback Bo Pribula landed fourth, sparking comparisons to Penn State’s Drew Allar, while Georgia’s Gunner Stockton came in at No. 5 after proving himself against Tennessee. Texas A&M freshman Marcel Reed slotted at No. 6 with flashes of big-play ability, and Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia ranked seventh for his leadership.

Arkansas Razorback quarterback Taylen Green (10) is slotted second in Josh Pate's SEC quarterback rankings. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Rounding out the list were Alabama’s Ty Simpson at No. 8, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier at No. 9 despite an injury, and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers at No. 10. The bottom three highlighted how preseason expectations missed the mark, as Lagway and Manning did not even make the cut.

Pate emphasized how unusual it was to see his preseason top three fighting just to be mentioned weeks into the season. “Lagway’s not even top 10. Arch isn’t top 10. I don’t know what in the world is happening with Arch Manning,” Pate said.

Mateer will look to build on his hot start as Oklahoma hosts Auburn on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Josh Pate's Revisited SEC Quarterback Rankings

1. John Mateer, Oklahoma
2. Taylen Green, Arkansas
3. Joey Aguilar, Tennessee
4. Bo Pribula, Missouri
5. Gunner Stockton, Georgia
6. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M
7. Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
8. Ty Simpson, Alabama
9. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
10. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina