exclusive details
See more of our coverage in your search results.
Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker wasn’t even the starting signal-caller on his high school football team.
Now, he just might be the hottest name in the race to go No. 1 overall in next April’s NFL Draft.
Mestemaker, who followed new Cowboys head coach Eric Morris and offensive coordinator Sean Brophy from North Texas to Stillwater, has emerged as one of the nation’s top passers seemingly out of nowhere.
NFL scouts and draft analysts are taking notice.
After losing a quarterback competition at Vandegrift High School in Texas, Mestemaker stayed put, playing defensive back and punter rather than transferring to get a starting job behind center.
He eventually walked on at North Texas, where he spent his freshman season behind Chandler Morris before getting his first start in a bowl game against Texas State.
Mestemaker had a breakout sophomore campaign, during which he led the FBS in passing yards, setting the stage for his move to Oklahoma State and a stunning ascent up NFL Draft boards as other big name college quarterbacks like Arch Manning struggle to prove they deserve to be the first player off the board.
Coming into the year, Mestemaker was already on the radar of NFL Draft analysts, although he was generally ranked outside the top tier of quarterback prospects and a fringe first-round pick.
Just six weeks into the season, his prospect status has changed dramatically.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has Mestemaker as the No. 2 player on his board behind Ohio State’s star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler also dubbed Mestemaker as his QB1 in the 2027 class. PFF has him as the first passer off the board in their first mock draft of the year.
“Mestemaker’s path has been unprecedented,” Brugler told The Post. “While still raw in areas, he has exciting foundational traits with his size, arm, athleticism and mental toughness and his issues are primarily experienced-based.”
CBS Sports draft analyst Ryan Wilson, who ranked Mestemaker as his No. 9 quarterback prospect over the summer, initially had reservations about his arm strength and ability to handle tougher competition.
Those concerns have quickly faded, with Wilson now ranking him second at the position.
“Are they getting better? Are they not making the same mistakes they were making before? How are they against better competition?” Wilson said of what he asks himself when evaluating quarterbacks. “And every single test Mestemaker keeps passing.”
After a season-opening dud against Tulsa, the Cowboys have won four straight behind Mestemaker and a high-powered offense.
Their biggest win came a month ago, when they took down then-No. 6 Oregon, 39-31.
Mestemaker kicked off the game with a 75-yard run, showing off the athleticism that experts believe could help him thrive at the next level, and finished with 317 yards through the air while outplaying fellow draft prospect Dante Moore.
Another major test awaits Saturday, when No. 18 Oklahoma State travels to face No. 20 Houston in a showdown with major Big 12 implications, giving Mestemaker a chance to prove his play is no fluke.
In the lead up to Saturday’s big game, Brophy, who has been with Mestemaker since his North Texas days, said he has been astonished by his development.
“I’ve never been around a quarterback that’s consistently gotten better, every day,” Brophy told The Post. “It’s just like you’re watching somebody really special grow up in front of your eyes.”
Vandegrift head coach Drew Sanders always believed Mestemaker had the talent to succeed at quarterback, but even he is blown away by where his former player is today.
“I’m sure there’ll be a movie made about Drew,” Sanders said during an interview this week. “Because this is just an unbelievable rise.”