Drew Mestemaker is an American college football quarterback for the Oklahoma State Cowboys, known for one of the most improbable rise stories in the recent college game. A former walk-on who did not start a game after his first year of high school, he emerged as a national standout in 2025, when, as a redshirt freshman at North Texas, he led all of college football’s top division in passing yards and won the Burlsworth Trophy, awarded to the sport’s most outstanding player who began as a walk-on. He transferred to Oklahoma State in 2026 to follow his coach, becoming the centrepiece of the Cowboys’ rebuilt team.
Drew Mestemaker Biography, Wiki
| Field | Details |
| Full Name | Drew Torin Mestemaker |
| Date of Birth | January 2006 |
| Age (2026) | 20 years |
| Birthplace | Austin, Texas, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Weight | 215 lb (98 kg) |
| Position | Quarterback |
| Current Team | Oklahoma State Cowboys (No. 17) |
| Class | Redshirt sophomore |
| High School | Vandegrift (Austin, Texas) |
| Colleges | North Texas (2024 to 2025); Oklahoma State (2026 to present) |
Drew Mestemaker Details
| Area | Detail |
| High school | A backup quarterback, punter and safety |
| Walk-on | Joined North Texas as an overlooked walk-on |
| Breakout | Led all of FBS in passing yards in 2025 |
| Award | Won the 2025 Burlsworth Trophy |
| Transfer | Moved to Oklahoma State in 2026 |
| Reunion | Followed coach Eric Morris to Stillwater |
Drew Mestemaker Events
| Year | Event |
| January 2006 | Born, raised in Austin, Texas |
| 2022 to 2023 | A backup quarterback at Vandegrift High School |
| 2024 | Redshirt season at North Texas |
| 2025 | Led FBS in passing yards, won the Burlsworth Trophy |
| Early 2026 | Transferred to Oklahoma State |
| September 2026 | Led Oklahoma State to an upset of No. 6 Oregon |
| 2026 | Established as the Cowboys’ starting quarterback |
Drew Mestemaker Early Life and High School
Drew Mestemaker was born Drew Torin Mestemaker in January 2006 and grew up in Austin, Texas, the son of James and Angela Mestemaker. He attended Vandegrift High School, where his path was highly unconventional for a future star quarterback. He saw only limited action at the position, serving as a backup behind other talented players, and instead contributed mainly as the team’s punter and as a safety, even earning all-district recognition as a punter. Despite starting only sparingly, he remained convinced he was a quarterback, a belief that would ultimately be vindicated.
Drew Mestemaker College Career
Drew Mestemaker at North Texas
Drew Mestemaker began his college career at North Texas, where he joined as an overlooked walk-on with very little starting experience to evaluate. After redshirting in 2024, he won the starting job for the 2025 season and produced one of the most remarkable breakout campaigns in the country. Leading the nation’s top division in passing yards, with a reported 4,379 yards and 34 touchdowns, he powered a high-scoring North Texas offence to the program’s first double-digit-win season and a conference championship-game appearance, capping the year with a bowl victory.
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Drew Mestemaker’s 2025 Honours
Drew Mestemaker was showered with honours for his extraordinary 2025 season. He won the Burlsworth Trophy, given to the most outstanding player in college football who began his career as a walk-on, and was named the American Conference Offensive Player of the Year and a first-team all-conference selection. He led his division in passing yards, passing yards per game, total offense and yards per attempt, and was a finalist or semifinalist for several major national awards, confirming his transformation from an unknown into one of the sport’s most productive quarterbacks.
Drew Mestemaker at Oklahoma State
Drew Mestemaker transferred to Oklahoma State ahead of the 2026 season, following his coach, Eric Morris, who had been named the Cowboys’ head coach and had guided him throughout his career. As one of the most coveted quarterbacks in the transfer portal, he became the face of an unprecedented roster overhaul in Stillwater. Early in the 2026 season he delivered a signature moment, leading Oklahoma State to a stunning home upset of a highly ranked Oregon team, throwing for more than 300 yards and accounting for three touchdowns, and cementing his status as the team’s starting quarterback.
Drew Mestemaker’s Playing Style
Drew Mestemaker is a prototypically sized quarterback, standing 6 feet 3 inches and weighing around 215 pounds, known for his efficiency, accuracy and productivity. Emerging as one of the most efficient passers in college football during his breakout season, he combines a strong arm and quick decision-making with the mobility to make plays with his legs, having recorded notable rushing touchdowns. His development under coach Eric Morris, a respected offensive mind, has been central to his rapid rise and his effectiveness running a high-powered offence.
Drew Mestemaker Personal Life
Drew Mestemaker is from Austin, Texas, and is the son of James and Angela Mestemaker. His journey from an overlooked high-school backup and walk-on to a national award winner has become one of the most talked-about underdog stories in college football, and he has often been characterised as a hardworking, determined competitor who never lost belief in himself. As a young player, he has kept his personal life largely private, focusing his public identity on his football career and his development at the quarterback position.
Drew Mestemaker Height and Physical Profile
Drew Mestemaker stands 6 feet 3 inches, or 1.91 metres, tall and weighs around 215 pounds, or 98 kilograms. His height, arm strength and athleticism give him a strong physical foundation at the quarterback position, allowing him to see the field, deliver the ball accurately and extend plays, attributes that underpinned his record-setting production and his rise to a Power-conference starting role.
Drew Mestemaker Net Worth and Earnings
As a college athlete, Drew Mestemaker’s financial dealings relate primarily to name, image and likeness, or NIL, opportunities available to college players, which have grown for him as his profile has risen following his award-winning season and his high-profile transfer. A precise, reliably verified net-worth figure is not part of the public record for a college player, and this profile does not put forward one. His circumstances reflect those of a student-athlete rather than a professional, and any figures should be treated with caution.
| Source | Detail |
| Earnings context | College NIL opportunities as a rising star |
| Net worth | Not reliably documented for a college athlete |
Drew Mestemaker Social Media
Drew Mestemaker maintains a presence on social media, where he shares his football career and life with a following that has grown rapidly alongside his emergence as a college star.
| Platform | Handle | Notes |
| Under his own name | Career and personal content | |
| Public information | College football media | How news about him is reported |
Drew Mestemaker Controversies
No controversy involving Drew Mestemaker surfaced in the material examined for this profile. Coverage of him has focused entirely on his football career, his remarkable rise from walk-on to national standout, his award-winning season and his high-profile transfer, rather than on any off-field matter.
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Lesser Known Facts About Drew Mestemaker
- His full name is Drew Torin Mestemaker.
- He is from Austin, Texas, and attended Vandegrift High School.
- He was mainly a punter and safety, not a starting QB, in high school.
- He joined North Texas as an overlooked walk-on.
- He led all of FBS in passing yards in 2025.
- He won the 2025 Burlsworth Trophy.
- He transferred to Oklahoma State to follow coach Eric Morris.
Drew Mestemaker FAQ
Who is Drew Mestemaker?
He is an American college football quarterback for the Oklahoma State Cowboys, a 2025 Burlsworth Trophy winner known for his rise from walk-on to national standout.
How old is Drew Mestemaker?
Born in January 2006, he will be 20 years old in 2026.
What team does Drew Mestemaker play for?
He plays for the Oklahoma State Cowboys, having transferred from North Texas ahead of the 2026 season.
What is Drew Mestemaker known for?
He is known for leading all of college football’s top division in passing yards in 2025 and winning the Burlsworth Trophy, after beginning as a walk-on.
What award did Drew Mestemaker win?
He won the 2025 Burlsworth Trophy, given to college football’s most outstanding player who began as a walk-on, and was his conference’s Offensive Player of the Year.
Where did Drew Mestemaker play before Oklahoma State?
He played for the North Texas Mean Green in 2024 and 2025 before transferring to Oklahoma State.
Why did Drew Mestemaker transfer to Oklahoma State?
He followed his coach, Eric Morris, who became Oklahoma State’s head coach after coaching him at North Texas.
Where is Drew Mestemaker from?
He was born and raised in Austin, Texas.
How tall is Drew Mestemaker?
He stands 6 feet 3 inches, or 1.91 metres, tall.
What was notable about Drew Mestemaker’s high-school career?
He rarely started at quarterback, playing mainly as a punter and safety, making his later rise especially improbable.
Sources
Oklahoma State Athletics, Drew Mestemaker,
https://okstate.com/sports/football/roster/drew-mestemaker/14374
CBS Sports, Drew Mestemaker’s journey from high school B-team to leading Oklahoma State over No. 6 Oregon,
https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/drew-mestemaker-oklahoma-state-upset-oregon-improbable-journey/
Sports Illustrated, Drew Mestemaker Commits to Oklahoma State After Breakout Season With North Texas,
https://www.si.com/college-football/drew-mestemaker-commits-oklahoma-state-breakout-season-north-texas-eric-morris
Athlon Sports, Drew Mestemaker: Oklahoma State QB is Face of Unprecedented Roster Reset,
https://athlonsports.com/college-football/oklahoma-state-cowboys-qb-drew-mestemaker-advanced-stats