Tulsa Coach Compares Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker to Two NFL Legends

The Oklahoma State Cowboys know they have a great quarterback, but Tulsa head coach Tre Lamb had a comparison at the read.

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

Many NFL talent evaluators believe that Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker could be a first-round pick one day.

Turns out Tulsa head coach Tre Lamb may agree with them.

Lamb did his rounds with the Tulsa-based media on Monday in advance of the Golden Hurricanes’ season opener with the Oklahoma State Cowboys. He was asked several questions about his opponent, including the redshirt sophomore quarterback for the Cowboys who to some could be a first-round pick if he chooses to enter the 2028 NFL Draft.

Lamb even had a comparison at the ready, saying that the Vandergrift High School product from Austin, Texas, is a cross between two different NFL stars, one of which is already in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Tre Lamb on Drew Mestemaker

Tulsa head coach Tre Lamb. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

“He’s a cross between Philip Rivers and Brett Favre,” Lamb said to reporters including News 2 Oklahoma’s Cayden Carpenter.

Favre was a second-round pick (No. 33 overall) out of Southern Miss who led the Green Bay Packers to a Super Bowl victory and was named the NFL MVP three times. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016. Rivers was the No. 4 overall pick in 2024 out of NC State who played as recently as last season for Indianapolis. He threw for nearly 64,000 yards in his career and was selected to the Pro Bowl eight times.

Both were known as tough quarterbacks with great arms. That’s why Lamb brought up both quarterbacks when coming up with a comparison for Mestemaker.

“The guy’s got as much arm talent as anybody in the draft — quick release, big hands,” he said. “The thing that I'm impressed by is he can take a hit. He will stand in there and he will take a beating over and over and over, and when he runs, he runs and he doesn't really slide.”

Cowboys head coach Eric Morris would probably like his quarterback to slide when appropriate on Saturday. Mestemaker played for Morris last year at North Texas where he led the country in four different statistical categories, including 4,379 passing yards. With Mestemaker at the controls, the Mean Green were the only team in the country to amass at least 500 yards per game on offense as they went 12-2.

Lamb also sees another trait in Mestemaker that aligns to both quarterbacks. Each had the ability to make off-schedule throws from different angles.

“His feet allow him to throw without much energy having to be put into it,” Lamb said. “He can get the ball out at times where most quarterbacks are having to wind up and step into it and throw. He can throw off his back foot, off platform, on the run and he hates a check down.”

Morris’ Air Raid offense is all based on timing and he’s repeatedly praised Mestemaker for his ability to quickly make mental decisions and avoid mistakes. Lamb is preparing his defense to not only defend the quarterback but also deal with what he sees as the likelihood for disappointment a few times on Saturday.

“There’s going to be five or six throws Saturday where we’re just like, ‘OK that’s indefensible,’: Lamb said. “Don’t care what you called that play we can’t cover that just because of his arm talent.”