Mestemaker Emerges as Top 2027 NFL Draft QB
The Oklahoma State quarterback, once a zero-star recruit, was picked by 17 of 25 NFL scouts and executives in an ESPN midseason poll.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Football
Drew Mestemaker has risen from a zero-star recruit to a leading quarterback prospect for the 2027 NFL Draft. In an ESPN midseason poll, 17 of 25 NFL scouts and executives named him the quarterback most likely to be selected first.
Why it matters
Mestemaker's rise shows how a player overlooked in recruiting can become a top professional prospect after a breakout season. His 2026 production at Oklahoma State will shape where he is projected in the draft.
ESPN's midseason poll found 17 of 25 NFL scouts and executives picked Mestemaker as the quarterback most likely to go first, up from zero votes in August. Through eight games in 2026 he has 2,649 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and a 65.5% completion rate, and whether he enters the draft or returns for another year is unresolved.
The players
Drew Mestemaker
Mestemaker is a quarterback who rose from a walk-on at North Texas to a top prospect for the 2027 NFL Draft.
Eric Morris
Morris is the Oklahoma State head coach who coached Mestemaker at North Texas before bringing him to Oklahoma State.
Jeff Christensen
Christensen is a former NFL quarterback who has trained Patrick Mahomes and Baker Mayfield and worked with Mestemaker starting in 2024.
The details
Mestemaker walked on at North Texas in 2024 as a fifth-string quarterback after training with former NFL quarterback Jeff Christensen. He finished the 2025 season with 4,379 passing yards, 34 touchdowns and a 68.9% completion rate, helping North Texas reach the AP Top 25 for the first time in program history. He followed coach Eric Morris to Oklahoma State in 2026.
Timeline
2024: Mestemaker began training with Jeff Christensen and joined North Texas as a walk-on.
2025 season: He became a scholarship starter and North Texas reached the AP Top 25.
2026: Mestemaker transferred to Oklahoma State alongside Eric Morris.
Midseason 2026: 17 of 25 NFL scouts picked him as the top quarterback in ESPN's poll.
Season Trajectory
Mestemaker's trajectory echoes that of Baker Mayfield, another Christensen-trained quarterback who went from a walk-on at Oklahoma to the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. His 2026 season at Oklahoma State will largely determine whether he follows that path into the top of the 2027 draft.
Mestemaker's draft status will affect fantasy and dynasty rosters as the 2027 class takes shape. Fans tracking the draft should watch whether he declares for the NFL or returns to Oklahoma State for another season.
The takeaway
Mestemaker's path shows that recruiting rankings do not fully predict NFL potential, and that development opportunities can change a player's trajectory. Readers following the draft should track his remaining 2026 games, since they will shape his projection.
Further reading
For more on the college game driving prospect rankings, see Football.
