Why Former North Texas QB Drew Mestemaker Would Be A Great Fit For Virginia

Virginia should pursue this quarterback from Denton, Texas

Oct 10, 2025; Denton, Texas, USA; North Texas Mean Green quarterback Drew Mestemaker (17) stands in the pocket against the South Florida Bulls during the second half of a game at DATCU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Virginia will be looking for a new quarterback at the helm in 2026 in all likelihood, with the unknown of Chandler Morris and if he will be granted another year of eligibility. Let’s take a look at a potential option for the Cavaliers that makes sense. 

Drew Mestemaker was one of the best offensive players in college football this season and lit the American Conference and college football on fire. He delivered in a big way and guided North Texas to an American Conference Championship berth. He also set different records throughout the season. 

Mestemaker set a program record earlier this season in a win over Charlotte. He threw for 608 yards and four touchdowns in the victory. The 608 passing yards were a new school record and a massive night for the young quarterback. 

Mestemaker finished with an impressive 90.4 offensive grade and a 89.8 passing grade in 2025. He finished with a 90 offensive grade in two games this past season. In the season opener, he finished with a 92.6 offensive grade vs Lamar. Mestemaker also registered a 92.0 offensive grade against Rice. 

He was first in the NCAA in passing yards, finishing with 4,129 yards. He was also tied-second with 31 touchdowns. He was a first-team All-AAC selection and was named Conference Player of the Year. 

Why does it make sense? 

Sep 20, 2025; West Point, New York, USA; North Texas Mean Green quarterback Drew Mestemaker (17) looks to pass against the Army Black Knights during the first half at Michie Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images | Danny Wild-Imagn Images

Mestemaker is young and could be a starter for the Cavaliers for the foreseeable future. They do have Daniel Kaelin and a 2026 QB they got from this past recruiting class in Ely Hamrick. However, Mestemaker gives the Cavaliers an instant plug-and-play guy. He also fits the offense that likes to be well-balanced and get the ball to its playmakers on the outside. He provides much-needed stability and answers the quarterback situation for years to come.

A thing that made him elite was getting rid of the ball quickly in under 2.5 seconds. It doesn’t take him long to find the hole in defense and deliver a strike, which bodes well for the Cavaliers. Mestemaker is also a great deep ball thrower and often connects on big plays down the field. He had 19 passes that travelled 20+ yards this season for North Texas. 

Mestemaker could also aid in the running game for the Hoos. He finished with five rushing touchdowns for the Mean Green and was a red-zone threat on the ground. North Texas used that to its advantage to keep defenses honest and not key on their running game.

The only knock on Mestemaker is that he did not perform well on the big stage this season. In a 63-36 loss to USF earlier in the year, he had 336 passing yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. In the American Championship against Tulane, Mestemaker finished with 294 passing yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. More than 86% of his interceptions came in those big games. With the ACC moving to a nine-game schedule, Mestemaker would be in big games every week and be leaned on to deliver against ACC competition. 

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