Saturday Scouting #1: Drew Mestemaker
What a week for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Beating one of the best teams in the nation and snapping the longest losing streak in the FBS in the process in a single 60 minutes just shows the beauty of sports. And the captain of the ship that was an 8-point victory over #6 Oregon was Drew Mestemaker. The North Texas transfer was a trendy name in the offseason scouting community but came crashing down to earth in a poor Week 1 loss to Tulsa. However, he announced himself at the Power 4 level in emphatic fashion last Saturday (and not just because he helicoptered into the endzone). But how exactly does Mestemaker measure up to the best QBs in the 2027 draft class? Check out my detailed scouting report on Mestemaker below:
Background & Measurables
Name: Drew Mestemaker
Year: Redshirt Sophomore
Size: 6’3, 215 pounds
Position/Scheme Fit: Rhythm-based pocket passer in an Air Raid offense
Former 0-star recruit and high-school receiver who joined North Texas in 2024 out of Austin, Texas. He appeared in five games that year with one start and preserved a redshirt season. After never even starting a high school varsity game at QB, Mestemaker's first start for North Texas came in the First Responders Bowl after starter Chandler Morris transferred to Virginia. Mestemaker threw for 393 yards and two touchdowns while running for 55 yards with another score in that game.
2025 was a different story, as he was named the starter, winning the 2025 Burlsworth Trophy for the best former walk-on in the nation and was selected to First Team All-American Conference for his play. He finished the season with 4,379 passing yards and 34 passing TDs, both the most in UNT single-season history. After breaking multiple records for North Texas in 2025 and falling one game short of the College Football Playoff, the passing yards leader followed his coach Eric Morris to Oklahoma State as the #2 available QB in the portal, according to 247Sports. He has started 2026 in up-and-down fashion, but his stock has skyrocketed following that Oregon performance.
Scouting Report
Strengths
1. Nice ball placement even when on the move. Keeps defenses honest with his ability to take off for a first down
2. Quick release and is decisive on his first and second reads
3. Accuracy and touch are definitely up there with the better QBs scouted this cycle. Completed nearly 68% of his passes at UNT
4. Has enough velocity and placement to throw back across the field and find receivers in stride
5. Has shown good anticipation in his throws in 2026 so far. Tulsa game looked much worse on the stat sheet than it was in reality
Development Points
1. Only 1+ year of starting at QB. Don’t think he’ll declare in 2027, nor should he
2. Offense at UNT is not massively translatable and still hasn’t been asked to do a lot of Sunday things on film, even in the Big 12
3. Leaves deep balls short too often. His drive throws also lack some zip, giving DBs a chance to break on the ball
4. Pressure affects his throwing motion and mechanics too much. His footwork gets too quick (went 4/13 when pressured vs Tulsa).
Conclusion
Mestemaker could not have had a more polarising start to the 2026 season. His 2026 performances are symptomatic of how Mestemaker's tape is overall, with some real flashes mixed in with really inconsistent play. He has a good arm, can take off when needed, but crumbles a bit when pressured. While that isn't unusual for a college QB, he is competing in the 2027 class with some high-level passers that are clearly ahead of him in terms of consistent performance level. I believe Mestemaker is a Day 2 QB right now and should stay in college beyond the 2027 draft, unless he takes a meteoric jump in his remaining 10 games in 2026.
Grade: 2nd round
Possible team fits: Cardinals, Commanders, Packers, Rams