New Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker generated significant buzz this past spring, but his tape reveals an inexperienced, developing prospect who will likely return to school in 2027 instead of entering the NFL Draft. Mestemaker’s range of outcomes remains wide open.
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Classification: Redshirt sophomore quarterback from Austin, Texas
Background: Mestemaker was a zero-star recruit from Vandegrift High School in Austin, Texas in the class of 2024. He transferred from North Texas to Oklahoma State for the 2026 season. Mestemaker was a team captain as a high school senior. He earned Second Team All-District 25-6A honors as a punter and was an honorable mention at safety. Mestemaker started at both positions and was Vandegrift’s backup quarterback. He won a 25-6A district title with the program in 2023.
Injuries & Off-Field: N/A
Awards: 2025 First Team All-American Conference, 2025 Freshman All-American Team (FWAA), 2025 American Conference Offensive Player of the Year
Pros: Adequate size for the modern position, quick post-snap processing working through his reads, nice pace working through post-snap reads, rarely gets stuck on the first read, anticipates windows and leads receivers open, flashes of layering the ball well, quick to flip/set base and throw in PA, velocity appears to check the box on short and intermediate opposite hash throws, maneuverability in pocket to step away from interior pressure and extend plays, mobility to extend plays while under pressure, comfortable throwing off-platform and on the move, keeps eyes downfield while scrambling, willing to keep ball on RPOs or use legs to gain tough yards, slides to end runs to protect himself
Cons: One-year starter at lower competition conference, leggy build, needs more body armor, exposes ball to strip-sacks with low carry positioning on dropbacks, looping throwing motion delays release, overly active feet in dropback, lower body mechanics change play-to-play and lack total refinement, lower body mechanics contribute to off-target throws, sometimes retreats instead of climbing in pocket, doesn’t anticipate or see post-snap rotations, stares down intended targets, arm strength isn’t anything special, unwarranted arm arrogance, leaves fades short and inside, challenges windows that aren’t open, velocity is stressed on some far hash intermediate throws, throws behind receivers over MOF, bad misses over MOF put ball in harm’s way, erratic ball placement and occasional scattershot accuracy, miscommunications leading to poor QB-RB exchange fakes on PA, limited speed and not twitchy or elusive as a runner
Overview: Mestemaker is an adequately sized athlete for his position, but he needs to gain some muscle to better protect himself against more competitive pass rushes. Messing with a quarterback’s throwing motion is always risky, but Mestemaker needs to make some adjustments. He carries the ball low and exposed prior to entering his throwing motion, which makes it an easy target for rushers. While it isn’t the most egregious throwing motion, he includes a loop that delays his release. To add to concerns about his mechanics, Mestemaker’s footwork is all over the place. He is very inconsistent play-to-play and seems to enter freelance mode as soon as he completes his full-field read. The inability of his North Texas receivers to separate didn’t help him much, but there were also examples of him needlessly freelancing in the pocket, leading to off-target throws. Mestemaker is a surprisingly quick processor for a first-year quarterback. He works through his reads at an excellent pace and rarely gets jammed up on his initial option. However, he doesn’t recognize and diagnose defensive post-snap rotations. This is something he needs to address, considering how common these rotations are for top defenses. Mestemaker’s pocket control is still developing. He sometimes opts to retreat beyond his offensive tackles’ protection instead of climbing the pocket to let outside pressure pass behind him. Mestemaker’s arm strength and velocity both fall in the B or B+ category. His range’s limit appears to be roughly 55 yards downfield, but he’s liable to leave fades that deep short and inside. The Texas native’s velocity meets necessary thresholds on intermediate throws to the far hash, but some of those attempts appear to stress his arm. Mestemaker is a fun quarterback with a backyard football or gunslinger element to his game. Unfortunately, he lacks the arm strength and velocity to back up his arm arrogance. Part of Mestemaker’s maturation process will be targeting fewer windows that clearly aren’t open. The redshirt sophomore anticipates throwing lanes and leads his receivers to space, which are both unique traits for an inexperienced passer. He also flashes developed touch to layer the ball between defensive levels. Mestemaker needs to clean up his ball placement over the middle of the field. Too many of his throws trail his receivers and lead to tips in crowded spaces. His accuracy and ball placement outside the numbers and downfield go through scattershot stretches. Mestemaker is a creative quarterback who evades interior pressure better than most. He lacks the speed and twitch to elude defenders as a runner but is mobile enough to extend plays and create off-platform. Some of his best work happens after he breaks the pocket.
Overall, Mestemaker is a physically limited quarterback who out-performed expectations in his first significant starting action. He is surprisingly advanced in certain mental aspects of the game but is still developing a feel for his limitations. Mestemaker’s trajectory could still go any direction. He likely needs another two seasons of reps in college before testing the NFL waters.
Role & Scheme Fit: Developmental QB in a spread offense with air raid principles
Round Projection: Fifth Round
Size: 6’3”, 211 lbs. (Unofficial)
Submitted: 06-27-26
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