Drew Mestemaker — 2027 NFL Mock Draft Roundup 1.0

I'm projecting another hurdle cleared by Mestemaker, who has done nothing but exceed expectations since arriving at North Texas as a zero-star walk-on. Now he gets the chance to prove himself against Power 4 competition for the first time in his college career.

Mestemaker is a big-armed QB who layers the ball well on downfield throws but can also step on it when he needs to fit it in a tight window. He shows the ability to get through his reads while standing tall in the pocket, though he'll need to limit his interceptions (he had 11 in '25), some of which came on poor decisions, or throws in which he didn't set his feet. He'll see a step up in competition going from North Texas to Oklahoma State, and if he makes that jump, he'll be a name to watch in the fall.

The Steelers have been in the QB wilderness since Ben Roethlisberger retired after the 2021 season. With Aaron Rodgers expected to do the same shortly, is this Pittsburgh's best opportunity to swing for a franchise QB?

Mestemaker is an incredible story, going from a zero-star walk-on at North Texas to throwing for 4,379 passing yards and 34 touchdowns with nine interceptions last season. He uses a fiery, three-quarters release, and his passes rarely lack velocity. He excelled in a spread-and-shred scheme and followed coach Eric Morris to Oklahoma State. His overconfidence is a gift and a curse, as he can get fixated on first reads and make head-scratching decisions. Cleaning that up on the Big 12 stage could make him a first-rounder next spring.

A former walk-on, Mestemaker put himself on the NFL radar with his performance at North Texas last season. Now at Oklahoma State (with the same coaching staff), he has an ascending skill set that has scouts highly intrigued.

It's easy to forget that last spring North Texas beat writers had Miami transfer QB Reese Poffenbarger ahead of Mestemaker on the Mean Green depth chart, though HC Eric Morris refrained from naming an outright starter until fall camp. Throughout the process I was an outspoken advocate for Mestemaker, who has a more air raid-compatible profile than Poffenbarger. The QB-battle allowed him to fly under the radar in Campus 2 Canton entry drafts, as I selected him in the final round in two of my C2C leagues. Whereas the other QBs ahead of him are all former five-star mega-prospects, Mestemaker is a self-made former walk-on in the mold of former Texas Tech/Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield.