Drew Mestemaker trained with Patrick Mahomes’ quarterback coach, now he’s emerging as a 2027 NFL Draft favourite
Drew Mestemaker has gone from an overlooked high school player to one of the leading quarterback prospects for the 2027 NFL Draft. In 2024, he began working with Jeff Christensen, a former Eastern Illinois quarterback who played five seasons in the NFL before becoming a well-known quarterback coach. 1 NFL Draft pick Baker Mayfield and Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes. Mestemaker’s first major college opportunity came with North Texas in 2024. He threw for 393 yards in that game. He finished with 4,379 passing yards, 34 touchdowns and a 68.9% completion rate. North Texas also finished in the AP Top 25 for the first time in program history. However, rather than choosing a completely new setup, Mestemaker followed Morris to Oklahoma State in 2026.
Because of the choices he made along the way, his rise has also caught attention.
As Christensen told the Daily Mail, Mestemaker’s answer was simple: “I was never going to leave my best friends in high school for football. The Oklahoma State star was once rated a zero-star recruit and did not even start a single game at quarterback during his senior year. Now, NFL scouts are taking notice of his performances. Before reaching this position, Mestemaker had to earn every opportunity, starting with a decision to stay loyal to his high school friends. Mestemaker’s journey started at Vandegrift High School in Austin, Texas. Despite being part of a state championship-winning team, he spent his senior season playing as a safety and punter while serving as a backup quarterback. He never started a game at the position. After finishing high school, Mestemaker still wanted to play quarterback in college. Christensen has worked with several big names, including former No. However, Mestemaker stood out for a different reason. When Christensen asked why he had not played quarterback in high school, Mestemaker explained that his school had already chosen another player for the job. He also had a chance to move to another school where he could start, but he did not want to leave his friends behind. That response stayed with Christensen. He felt the young quarterback had a different mindset from players who quickly look for another school when they do not get the position they want. Christensen also noticed how quickly Mestemaker learned from his mistakes. His arm strength and accuracy were clear, but his ability to understand what went wrong and avoid making the same mistake again impressed the coach even more. His work with Christensen also helped him improve his vision, understand opposing defenses and make quicker decisions on the field. He joined Eric Morris’ team as a walk-on fifth-string quarterback. However, he worked his way up and finished the season as the starter in the First Responder Bowl against Texas State. His next season brought a much bigger change. Mestemaker became a scholarship player and delivered an outstanding campaign. His performances attracted interest from bigger college programs. Several of his North Texas teammates made the same move.
Through eight games this season, Mestemaker has thrown for 2,649 yards and 25 touchdowns. He has also completed 65.5% of his passes, according to Oklahoma State’s official statistics. Join conversation Share your thoughts in the comments Be respectful · TOI community guidelines His performances have now put him at the top of the early 2027 NFL Draft quarterback conversation. In a midseason ESPN poll of 25 NFL scouts and executives, 17 picked Mestemaker as the quarterback most likely to be selected first.
That change says a lot about how quickly his standing has improved. The decision has worked out well so far. Texas quarterback Arch Manning and other highly rated prospects have also been part of the draft discussion, but Mestemaker has moved ahead in the latest scout poll.
He received no votes in ESPN’s earlier August poll.
He could declare for the 2027 NFL Draft after the season or return to Oklahoma State for another year. Still, his future is not settled. For now, his focus remains on the Cowboys and the games ahead. Whatever he decides, the player who once struggled to get a chance at quarterback is now being seriously discussed by NFL teams. Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.