4,000-yard QB named among 'most impactful' transfer portal players

A 4,000-yard passer is considered among the most impactful transfers in the 2026 NCAA transfer portal cycle.

North Texas Mean Green quarterback Drew Mestemaker (17) warms up prior to a game against the South Florida Bulls | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

The final remnants of the 2026 NCAA transfer portal cycle are committing to their next destinations.

The NCAA transfer portal's two-week window opened on Jan. 2 and closed at midnight on Jan. 16. Thousands of players from all across the college football landscape entered the portal in search of better situations in 2026.

Now that the dust has begun to settle, the media has begun to break down the activity that commenced in the NCAA transfer portal cycle. This includes ranking the portal classes each team assembled, as well as an analysis of the significance of individual transfers in the cycle.

Pete Nakos of On3 compiled a list of the most impactful transfers in the 2026 NCAA transfer portal cycle. One member of the list was former North Texas quarterback Drew Mestemaker, who followed head coach Eric Morris to Oklahoma State via the portal.

North Texas Mean Green quarterback Drew Mestemaker (17) throws a pass during the first quarter against the Texas State Bobcats | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

"Quarterback play struggled in the final years of the Mike Gundy era at Oklahoma State. New head coach Eric Morris plans on changing that quickly," Nakos wrote. "He landed his North Texas quarterback, Drew Mestemaker, out of the portal, holding off a slew of top-25 programs expressing interest."

The 6-foot-4, 211-pounder walked on at North Texas to begin his college football career. Two of his three regular-season appearances in 2024 were in the midst of blowouts, completing four of five pass attempts for 69 yards.

2024 Mean Green starter Chandler Morris entered the NCAA transfer portal that December, putting Mestemaker in line to start in the Servpro First Responder Bowl. He completed 26 of 41 passes for 393 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions while rushing for 55 yards and another touchdown in the loss to Texas State (30-28).

2025 was Mestemaker's lone season as North Texas' starter. He threw for an FBS-high 4,379 yards, 34 touchdowns and nine interceptions while rushing for five more touchdowns. Mestemaker's most productive outing in 2025 was a 608-yard performance in a win over Charlotte (54-20).

Mestemaker won AAC Offensive Player of the Year and received All-AAC First Team distinction on a conference level. He was also the 2025 recipient of the Burlsworth Trophy, the honor given to the best player in college football who started his career as a walk-on.

Eric Morris is bringing more than just Mestemaker with him from Denton to Stillwater. In total, 17 players are following Morris to Oklahoma State from North Texas.

A handful of former North Texas assistants, including offensive coordinator Sean Brophy and defensive coordinator Skyler Cassity, are also taking part in the mass migration.

North Texas Mean Green quarterback Drew Mestemaker (17) scrambles out of the pocket against the Tulane Green Wave | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images