Drew Mestemaker

Last updated

Drew Mestemaker
Drew Mestemaker (cropped).jpg
Mestemaker in 2025
No. 17 – Oklahoma State Cowboys
Position Quarterback
Class
Redshirt Redshirt.svg
Redshirt
Sophomore
Personal information
BornJanuary 2006 (age 19–20)
Height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight211 lb (96 kg)
Career information
High school Vandegrift (Austin, Texas)
College North Texas (2024–2025)
Oklahoma State (2026–present)
Awards and highlights
Stats at ESPN

Drew T. Mestemaker (born January 2006) is an American college football quarterback for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. He previously played for the North Texas Mean Green.

Contents

Early life

Mestemaker attended Vandegrift High School in Austin, Texas. He saw limited playing time at the quarterback position during his high school career. As a junior in 2022, he served as the backup to Brayden Buchanan, who later played college baseball for the Baylor Bears baseball program. In limited action, Mestemaker completed 12 of 13 passes for 170 yards and three touchdowns.

During his senior season in 2023, Mestemaker again served as a backup, this time to Louisville Cardinals commit Deuce Adams, who had transferred from Canyon High School the previous year. He completed 10 of 17 passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns. He also contributed on defense, playing defensive back and safety, where he earned honorable mention all-district recognition. [1]

Mestemaker additionally served as Vandegrift’s primary punter, averaging 34.7 yards per punt on 15 attempts, including six punts inside the 20-yard line. He was named second team All-District 25-6A on special teams. [2]

A zero-star recruit, Mestemaker committed to play college football for the North Texas as a walk-on after graduating from high school. [3] [4]

College career

North Texas

Mestemaker enrolled at the University of North Texas on June 1, 2024, joining the program under head coach Eric Morris. He began fall camp as the team’s fifth-string quarterback but moved up the depth chart during preseason practices, emerging as the primary backup to starting quarterback Chandler Morris by the final scrimmage before the season opener. [5]

Mestemaker made his collegiate debut in Week 3 against Texas Tech, completing two of three pass attempts for 56 yards while adding 26 rushing yards. He appeared sparingly in three additional games during the regular season. After Chandler Morris entered the NCAA transfer portal, Mestemaker was named the starter for the 2025 First Responder Bowl. In the game, he completed 26 of 41 passes for 393 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, and added a 70-yard rushing touchdown in a loss to Texas State. [6] He finished the 2024 season with 462 passing yards, two touchdown passes, and two interceptions. [7]

Heading into the 2025 season, Mestemaker competed for the starting quarterback job against Miami transfer Reese Poffenbarger. [8] On August 19, 2025, he was officially named North Texas’ starting quarterback for the season opener. [9]

In Week 1 against Lamar, Mestemaker threw for 329 yards and three touchdowns in a 51–0 victory. North Texas then earned wins over Western Michigan (the 2025 MAC champions), Washington State, Army, and South Alabama, starting the season 5–0. During that stretch, Mestemaker maintained an 11-to-0 touchdown-to-interception ratio while completing nearly 68 percent of his passes for 1,247 yards. [10]

After a loss to South Florida, in which he threw for 336 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions, Mestemaker and the Mean Green rebounded with six consecutive victories. This stretch included a historic performance against Charlotte, where he threw for a school and AAC record 608 yards and four touchdowns with one interception in a 54–20 win. [11]

Mestemaker led North Texas to the 2025 American Conference Football Championship Game against Tulane. In the 2025 New Mexico Bowl against San Diego State, he threw for 250 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions, helping North Texas win 49–47. The victory secured the program’s first-ever 12-win season and snapped a seven-game bowl losing streak. [12]

He finished the 2025 season with 4,379 passing yards and 34 passing touchdowns, setting single-season program records in both categories. He accounted for 4,468 total offensive yards and 39 total touchdowns, establishing new program marks for total offense and total touchdowns. [13] For his outstanding performance, he was named American Offensive Player of the Year, earned First Team All-AAC honors, and won the Burlsworth Trophy. [14]

On December 29, 2025, Mestemaker announced that he would be entering the transfer portal. [15]

Oklahoma State

On January 3, 2026, Mestemaker announced his commitment to Oklahoma State University, reuniting with head coach Eric Morris, under whom he had played at North Texas. He signed a two-year, $7 million deal with the program, which had finished the 2025 season 1–11. [16] [17]

Statistics

Legend
Led FBS
BoldCareer high
SeasonTeamGames Passing Rushing
GPGSRecordCmpAttPctYdsY/ATDIntRtgAttYdsAvgTD
2024 North Texas 510−1304665.246210.022155.214876.21
2025 North Texas 141412−231946368.94,3799.5349168.757891.65
2026 Oklahoma State 000−0000.000.0000.0000.00
Career 191512–334950968.64,8419.53611167.5711762.56

References

  1. ↑ "How North Texas landed a big-time QB". nwaonline.com. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
  2. ↑ "Drew Mestemaker Football Stats". maxpreps.com. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
  3. ↑ "Drew Mestemaker Player Rating". 247sports.com. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
  4. ↑ Vito, Brent. "UNT coach, players have confidence in seldom-used QB Drew Mestemaker, who will start bowl game". Denton Record-Chicle. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  5. ↑ Fischer, Bryan. "How Hidden QBs Like Drew Mestemaker With No Film or Offers Became Playoff Contenders". si.com. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
  6. ↑ Wilson, Dave. "North Texas' Mestemaker opens eyes in First Responder start". ESPN. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  7. ↑ Vito, Brent. "Drew Mestemaker wins quarterback race, will start UNT's season opener". Denton Record-Chronicle. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  8. ↑ Vito, Brent. "UNT's QB race will likely end Saturday. Here's where Drew Mestemaker, Reese Poffenbarger stand". Denton Record-Chronicle. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  9. ↑ Helwick, Steve. "North Texas names Drew Mestemaker starting quarterback". Underdog Dynasty. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  10. ↑ "North Texas QB enjoying breakout after never starting varsity game in high school". cbssports.com. Retrieved December 29, 2025.
  11. ↑ "QB Drew Mestemaker passes for North Texas-record 608 yards". ESPN. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
  12. ↑ "North Texas vs. San Diego State Box Score". sports-reference.com. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
  13. ↑ "QB Drew Mestemaker 2025 Game Log". sports-reference.com. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Mestemaker Wins 2025 Burlsworth Award". meangreensports.com. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
  15. ↑ "North Texas star QB Drew Mestemaker plans to enter portal". espn.com. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Oklahoma State Has Found Its Next Quarterback on a Two-Year Contract". heartlandcollegesports.com. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
  17. ↑ "Oklahoma State, UNT QB Drew Mestemaker reportedly agree to $7 million deal". news9.com. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
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