College football's leading passer scores elite, seven-figure NIL ranking in 2026

The quarterback responsible for the most passing yards in college football this past season is among the most valuable players in the country heading into 2026.

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The most accomplished passer in college football this past season was on the move in the transfer portal, not only landing at a Power Four program, but also securing one of the highest placements in the national NIL player rankings heading into 2026.

Drew Mestemaker swapped schools after leading the FBS in passing yardage this fall, and while his pledge to Oklahoma State is a big gain for the school, it could prove quite profitable for the quarterback, too.

Where the QB ranks in 2026

Mestemaker emerged as one of the highest-placed players in the updated national NIL valuation rankings, according to On3 Sports.

The quarterback is currently listed with an NIL estimate worth $2.5 million, a number that ranks him as the fourth-most valuable player in the country among those who entered the transfer portal in the 2026 cycle.

Mestemaker sits just behind Cam Coleman, the No. 1 transfer portal wide receiver, and is third among quarterbacks, behind new Texas Tech commit Brendan Sorsby ($3.1 million) and LSU’s incoming signal caller Sam Leavitt, who ranks No. 1 nationally at $4 million.

What he should make at OSU

The reported terms of Mestemaker’s landing at Oklahoma State are considerable, and quite higher than this ranking would indicate.

Coming out of the transfer portal, the quarterback and school agreed to a two-year arrangement that will pay Mestemaker around $3.5 million this coming season before getting a raise to $4 million in 2027, according to The Tulsa World.

That is decidedly on the high end of the current market for transfer quarterbacks, with the average number hovering around $2.5 million to $3 million in this cycle, according to insider reporting.

What’s more is that the package Mestemaker is set to receive at Oklahoma State will be taken care of by just one of the school’s donors, who will personally fund the entire deal.

What he did on the field

The quarterback led North Texas to a 12-2 record this past season, including an appearance in the American Conference Championship Game and a bowl victory against San Diego State in his first starting campaign since his freshman year in high school.

Mestemaker threw for 4,379 yards and 34 touchdowns in his second season of college football, and when head coach Eric Morris bolted North Texas for Oklahoma State to replace Mike Gundy, the quarterback followed, set to debut as the Cowboys’ starter in 2026.

That will be good news for the Oklahoma State offense, which ranked just 116th among 136 FBS teams in passing offense with 174 yards per game, completed 57 percent of its pass attempts, and was second-worst in the country with 7 touchdowns in the air.

Now armed with some of the best quarterbacking that money can buy, the Cowboys hope those numbers take a big jump next fall.