Oklahoma University’s Jaked Snyder is First Recipient of Walk On Scholarship
The Baker & Emily Mayfield Foundation announced today Oklahoma University's football team member Jakeb Snyder as the first of two recipients of the Baker & Emily Mayfield Foundation’s Walk On Scholarship, which awards walk-on student-athletes a $10,000 scholarship.
“Seeing so many amazing applicants for our first year of providing this scholarship meant the world to us, yet made it extremely difficult to choose only two recipients,” said Emily. “However, we felt Jakeb stood out when discussing resilience, one of the key principles of our foundation. We hope this scholarship will ease some of the financial burdens for him as he continues his dreams of being a collegiate athlete, as well as help set him up for success in his post-collegiate career.”
Snyder, a redshirt junior, plays wide receiver for the Sooners. After a successful high school career that included Snyder helping Bixby High School in Bixby, Okla. to three consecutive Oklahoma 6A-1 state titles, he earned a preferred walk-on offer from OU, his dream school. He enrolled at OU in June 2023, where he red-shirted his freshman season before playing in two games on special teams during the 2024 season. During that season, he was also named to the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll while majoring in finance.
In his application, Snyder stated, "Resilience is not built in comfort-it's forged in unfamiliar environments, under pressure, and through personal sacrifice. Resilience, to me, is about more than overcoming obstacles – it’s about being committed to your goals even when the easier route is right in front of you. It’s about trusting yourself, staying consistent and having the courage to chase what sets your soul on fire. That's the mindset I'll carry into college, the classroom, and life. I don’t expect things to be easy. I just expect myself to rise – every time.”
“As a walk-on athlete, I had to prove that I belonged on the field,” stated Baker. “It meant no promises, just work, and that is exactly the mentality and level of resilience I see in Jakeb, so Emily and I knew he would be the perfect first-ever recipient for our scholarship. We are so grateful and honored to be part of his story and help another fellow walk-on OU football player.”
This year marked the inaugural year for the Baker & Emily Mayfield Foundation's scholarship program. The scholarship was created to help alleviate some of the financial pressures that walk-on athletes face as they pursue their athletic and academic goals.
During his collegiate career, Baker became one of the most successful walk-on athletes, making history as the first walk-on to open an FBS season as quarterback at Texas Tech University before transferring to the University of Oklahoma, where he played for three seasons and capped off his collegiate career by becoming the first ever walk-on player to win the Heisman Trophy in 2017. He would then go on to become the first former walk-on to be selected as the number one overall pick in the NFL draft during the 2018 NFL Draft.
The Baker & Emily Mayfield Walk On Scholarship will be available for future applicants following the Spring 2026 semester. Those interested in supporting the growth and expansion of the scholarship program can contact the Foundation at info@bemayfield.com.
