4,000-Yard Passer Named Best Transfer Fit for Major College Football Program

A major college football program looking for a spark just landed a player who was the most productive passer in the country last year. This athlete did not have a typical path to stardom because he never even started a game for his high school varsity team.

Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker eventually joined his previous school, North Texas, as a walk-on before proving everyone wrong by throwing for thousands of yards and dozens of scores. His journey from an overlooked recruit to a national leader in passing statistics makes him one of the most exciting stories in the sport today.

Mestemaker's move to join the Cowboys is part of a larger trend in which players and coaches move to new schools to find a better fit. After a very difficult season where the team struggled to win games, the fans in Stillwater are looking for a reason to be hopeful again.

Drew Mestemaker brings elite passing stats to Oklahoma State football

Last season, the 6-foot-4 quarterback led the nation with 4,379 passing yards and 34 touchdowns. He kept his mistakes low with only nine interceptions while finishing with a completion rate of 68.9%.

CBS Sports analyst Shehan Jeyarajah believes Mestemaker is the premier quarterback fit of the transfer cycle, who will "keep the magic going" because he is staying under the guidance of head coach Eric Morris and offensive coordinator Sean Brophy.

Mestemaker is part of a group of more than 12 transfers following Morris from Denton to Stillwater. This group includes some of his favorite targets from last year, which should help him replicate the success that led the Mean Green to a conference title game.

Drew Mestemaker takes a photo with a fan — Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker at a college wrestling dual between the Cowboys and the Iowa State Cyclones. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

His rise is even more impressive considering he won the Burlsworth Trophy, an award given to the top player who started as a walk-on. Jeyarajah notes that "none lands in a better spot than Mestemaker" because of the existing chemistry between the player and the coaching staff.

The Cowboys are coming off a painful one-win season and are desperate for the offensive fireworks the new signal-caller and coaching staff provide.

Oklahoma State recently announced it will hold its spring game on Saturday, April 28.