2 weeks Ago By Sooners Wire
The Oklahoma Sooners didn't have a player selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. But their offensive coordinator did. Ben Arbuckle helped Cam Ward, the No.
1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, to two productive seasons at Washington State before finishing his career in Miami. Ward started his career at Incarnate Word before transferring to Washington State in 2022. In two seasons with the Cougars, Ward put up 6,898 passing yards and threw for 48 touchdowns.
He also ran for another 13 touchdowns. When Washington State fell out of a power conference, Ward took advantage of the opportunity to transfer to Miami, where he had another strong season with the Hurricanes. Miami might be the name that gets listed next to Ward's name at the NFL level, but it's pretty clear that Arbuckle had a huge influence on the No.
1 overall pick. “I think (Arbuckle’s) biggest difference is, a lot of OCs can call plays, but not all of them can help develop a quarterback,” Ward's father Calvin told The Oklahoman back in December. And apparently, Arbuckle's impact continued even after transferring from Washington State to Miami.
Arbuckle was in attendance at the 2025 NFL Draft with the No. 1 overall pick. Never too serious.
pic.twitter.com/0Ft5BN54MI— Ben Arbuckle (@arbuckle_ben) April 25, 2025Quite the feather in the cap on the recruiting trail for Oklahoma's offensive coordinator.
As the Oklahoma Sooners get ready for the 2025 season, they have a quarterback that has a chance to cement himself as one of the top prospects in either of the next two drafts. John Mateer was very productive in his first season as a starter, amassing 4,000 total yards and 44 touchdowns. Fair to say that Arbuckle knows a thing or two about quarterback play.
With what Arbuckle's done with quarterbacks at Western Kentucky and Washington State, he's building quite the reputation for himself. Cam Ward's selection at the top of the 2025 NFL Draft is the latest win for Arbuckle and it will give him a boost on the recruiting trail. Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.
You can also follow John on X @john9williams.This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma OC Ben Arbuckle attends 2025 NFL Draft, supports No. 1 pick.
