Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker has had a mixed start to the 2026 season with several highlights, including a signature win against Oregon in early September. Some in the media, such as analysts at ESPN, rated Mestemaker as the top quarterback prospect for the 2027 NFL Draft. Some sources on the team aren’t as high as that, and Mestemaker has had issues with interceptions this season. Taking over from UCF, Mestemaker showed off his great skill set, and he needs development for the NFL.
On their second possession, Mestemaker converted a fourth down with a slant, including a pump fake to help isolate his receiver. Mestemaker capped the drive with a touchdown run from a dozen yards out as Mestemaker went untouched on paydirt on a zone-read run. Soon after, Mestemaker lofted an 18-yard touchdown to a wide-open receiver on the sideline.
In the second half, Mestemaker had several completions to several wide open receivers to set up a pair of field goals. After a defensive touchdown, Mestemaker used his legs again to score a two-point conversion. He added an easy touchdown pass that got behind his receiver in the end zone after all the defense on a play-action fake to get the wideout open. Mestemaker finished completing 19-of-28 passes for 304 yards with two touchdowns.
For the NFL, Mestemaker has a great skill set with strength, size, and mobility. He can throw some neat passes downfield with plenty of arm to fire fastballs in the secondary. Mestemaker can really turn it around with easy arm strength. While Mestemaker has great physical talent, he needs development and refinement for the NFL.
Mestemaker’s footwork needs improvement for the NFL, as he is inconsistent with his feet. Improving his footwork will also make him more accurate for the pros. Mestemaker can also stand up to improve his mechanics, and sometimes his arm goes down. Mestemaker needs to improve his field vision for the NFL and work on making strides through the receivers. At North Texas and now Oklahoma State, he played in a simple offense in college that had a lot of zone reads, screens, swing passes, pop passes, and quick throws to the primary receiver. Mestemaker will need to learn to read coverage, make his strides, and get comfortable running a professional offense. It also wouldn’t hurt for Mestemaker to add some weight and fill out his frame more. Mestemaker has a lot of talent, and he could be a first-round pick next April, but he should go back to school to develop, get more reps, and improve.