One Transfer Portal Decision That Influenced Dylan Raiola to Oregon

The Oregon Ducks made headlines back in January when the program added Nebraska starter Dylan Raiola to its quarterback room. Raiola announced his commitment to the Ducks on January 12 after spending the past two seasons at Nebraska and serving as the Huskers’ primary starter in each of those seasons.

Oregon was able to secure Raiola’s commitment and establish further depth behind starting quarterback Dante Moore fairly quickly. However, Raiola may not have been the Ducks’ first target.

Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker recently revealed that when he was evaluating where his next home would be, Oregon was among the schools pursuing him.

Oregon Ducks Dylan Raiola Drew Mestemaker transfer portal quarterback Dante Moore Oklahoma State football recruiting Big Ten — Oklahoma State's Drew Mestemaker throws a touchdown pass during a spring football game for the Oklahoma State University Cowboys at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, April 18, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

“I didn’t talk to a whole bunch of schools in the portal,” Mestemaker said⁠ via the Brandon Walker College Football Show. “But my agent, we kind of came down to a pretty tight little grouping there at the end. Really, the schools that were interested were like Oregon⁠. LSU⁠ was on there. Michigan⁠ was in our radar. Kind of those three, I guess. Maybe (Texas) Tech⁠ a little bit. I mean, at the end of the day, I kind of chose my decision pretty quickly.”

Had the Ducks landed Mestemaker, their quarterback room would have looked very different. Mestemaker may have been competing for the backup role behind Moore, but Raiola likely would not have followed him to Eugene. While both quarterbacks entered Oregon with proven college experience, they bring different backgrounds and would have given the Ducks a different look behind Moore.

Mestemaker ultimately landed at Oklahoma State, where he reunited with his former coach Eric Morris. Though he noted the decision was one that he made “pretty quickly,” he felt that he essentially owed it to himself to at least talk to the other schools because that was something he did not get to experience coming out of high school.

“I told Coach I was going to hear other people out just because I never got recruited before,” said Mestemaker on ESPN’s College Football Live. “I felt like I deserved to hear people out.”

Why Oregon Pursued Drew Mestemaker

Mestemaker’s path to becoming one of the most sought-after quarterbacks in the transfer portal was anything but traditional.

Coming out of Vandegrift High School in Austin, Texas, Mestemaker was not a highly coveted quarterback prospect. He did not have a Division I scholarship offer and never started a varsity game at quarterback in high school. Instead of pursuing the junior college or Division III route, he elected to walk on at North Texas.

After redshirting in 2024, Mestemaker broke out during the 2025 season and quickly became one of the most productive quarterbacks in the country. He played in 14 games and finished the season with 4,379 passing yards, 34 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

He led the FBS in passing yards, passing yards per game, total offense and yards per pass attempt while also ranking second nationally in passing touchdowns. He was named American Conference Offensive Player of the Year and won the Burlsworth Trophy, which is awarded to the nation’s most outstanding player who began his career as a walk-on.

That type of production explains why Oregon was interested. Mestemaker had gone from a quarterback without a Division I scholarship offer to a proven college starter who had just produced one of the best statistical seasons in the country.

Oregon also could have offered Mestemaker an appealing situation. Playing at Oregon would allow him to showcase his arm against Big Ten defenses. The Ducks have also recently provided transfer quarterbacks with a national stage, with Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel both making the jump to Oregon before reaching the NFL.

However, if Mestemaker had chosen Oregon, he likely would have had to wait behind Moore. Moore passed on the NFL Draft and returned to Eugene for another season, meaning Mestemaker could have essentially lost a year of playing time while waiting for his opportunity. Choosing Oregon would essentially halt the momentum he had built throughout the 2025 season.

Oklahoma State offered something Oregon could not: an immediate starting job.

But perhaps the biggest reason Mestemaker did not choose Oregon or any other school was his relationship with Morris. Morris was the coach who originally took a chance on him as a walk-on at North Texas. That combination ultimately made Oklahoma State the better fit for Mestemaker.

How Drew Mestemaker’s Decision Impacted Oregon Landing Dylan Raiola

The timing of Mestemaker’s decision makes Oregon’s eventual addition of Raiola even more interesting.

Mestemaker officially committed to Oklahoma State on Jan. 3. Just nine days later, on Jan. 12, Raiola announced his commitment to Oregon after entering the transfer portal from Nebraska.

Had Mestemaker committed to Oregon, it is unlikely Raiola would have followed. With Moore returning for 2026, adding Mestemaker would have given Oregon an experienced quarterback behind him with multiple years of eligibility remaining. Instead, Mestemaker was off the board before Oregon landed Raiola.

That opened the door for the Ducks to take a different approach. Raiola had already started 22 games at Nebraska and had established himself as a capable college quarterback before transferring to Eugene. He could provide Oregon with experience behind Moore and give the Ducks a potential successor once Moore’s time in Eugene comes to an end.

In other words, Mestemaker’s decision did not directly cause Raiola to choose Oregon, but it did help shape the circumstances that made Raiola’s commitment possible.

Now, the two quarterbacks will have a chance to face each other. Oregon is scheduled to travel to Stillwater on Sept. 12 to take on Oklahoma State.

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