Oklahoma State NFL Draft Stock Watch: Drew Mestemaker’s Big Opportunity

Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker is in the right offense to make his NFL dreams a reality after this season.

Oklahoma State's quarterback Drew Mestemaker. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

While the Oklahoma State football roster is filled with players with experience, there's only one player that appears to have the attention of NFL scouts going into the 2026 season.

That is quarterback Drew Mestemaker. In the eyes of some NFL talent evaluators, he could be a first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, should the redshirt sophomore choose to leave college early.

But he would be doing so among a class that could be stocked with great quarterback prospects, including Oregon’s Dante Moore, whom Mestemaker will square off with in Week 2, and Texas quarterback Arch Manning.

So what will Mestemaker do? He’s likely not giving it much thought. But mock drafts at The Athletic (subscription required) and ESPN did last week.

Were Drew Mestemaker Might Fall in NFL Draft

Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

College players must be at least three years removed from high school graduation to be eligible for the NFL Draft. So even though Mestemaker has only played one collegiate season he can leave after the 2026 campaign. But for a player who didn't even play varsity football as a quarterback in high school he should only leave if it seems likely he'll be a first-round pick.

The Athletic was willing to peg him as one in its mock draft, as Mestemaker went at No. 18 overall to the New York Jets, who the site says will get the pick from the Dallas Cowboys due to a previous trade.

The site said that Mestemaker’s talent — “both in terms of his arm and athleticism” — has the attention of all NFL scouts.

In that site’s mock, Manning went No. 1, Moore went No. 2 and Notre Dame quarterback C.J. Carr went No. 14.

At ESPN, he didn’t land in the first round, exposing the volatility of the NFL Draft and showing just how deep the class could be.

In that mock draft, Moore went No. 1, Manning went No. 2 and Carr went No. 3. No other quarterback was selected in the first round. Since it was just a first-round mock draft, ESPN provided no explanation as to why Mestemaker was not included.

His performance in North Texas last season put him on the radar of every NFL talent evaluator, as he threw for 4.379 yards for the Mean Green. Most scouts are eager to see if he can follow that up with another big season in a power conference against better defensive competition.

If he proves that, it becomes more likely he'll be included more often in first-round mock drafts. But then it also becomes more likely that he might leave school early.

This is a big season for Oklahoma State in so many ways. The same could be said for Mestemaker.