Drew Mestemaker, the nation’s leading passer in 2025, is transferring to Oklahoma State, according to a source briefed on the decision.
Mestemaker threw for 4,379 yards and 34 touchdowns as a redshirt freshman while leading North Texas to a 12-2 record and an appearance in the American Championship Game. He is No. 3 in The Athletic’s transfer portal quarterback rankings.
Mestemaker, a Texas native, likely had many options but ultimately chose to reunite with Eric Morris, the former North Texas head coach who was recently hired to take over at Oklahoma State.
Mestemaker is a former walk-on who wasn’t even a full-time starter on his high school team. He started the 2024 First Responder Bowl and threw for 393 yards in a 30-28 loss to Texas State, a performance that set the table for his breakthrough 2025 season.
Here we go!!!! 🤠
— Eric Morris (@__CoachMorris) January 3, 2026
What does this mean for Oklahoma State?
We’ve witnessed programs have success in recent years after importing quarterback/play-caller duos. USC did it with Caleb Williams and Lincoln Riley. Vanderbilt did it with Diego Pavia and offensive coordinator Tim Beck.
They experienced quick turnarounds, too. That would be the best-case scenario for the Cowboys, who have won just four games combined over the past two seasons.
Morris is known for discovering and developing Cam Ward when he was the head coach at FCS Incarnate Word and Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer when he was the offensive coordinator at Washington State.
Mestemaker became the latest revelation for Morris.
Oklahoma State ranked 134th nationally in scoring offense (14.2 ppg) in 2025. With Mestemaker in the fold, Morris has a foundational piece to build around as he hopes to bring offensive fireworks back to Oklahoma State.
What’s the read on Mestemaker?
It’s difficult to argue with the numbers. Mestemaker was prolific (9.5 yards per attempt, first nationally) and accurate (68.9 completion percentage, 14th).
Reunited with Morris, we can expect Mestemaker to post huge stats again. But it is fair to wonder how he’ll fare against more difficult competition. Mestemaker threw nine interceptions this season; eight came against three of the best defenses he faced: USF (loss), Tulane (loss) and San Diego State (win). He fell below his season-long completion percentage in each of those games, too.
“He looks like an elite processor,” said a general manager who saw Mestemaker in person this season. “He’s got enough arm talent where he can place the ball. He’s got all the intangibles. I think he’ll be a really, really, really, really good college quarterback. He just didn’t look different from an arm talent perspective like I expected him to.”
We’ll see how he transitions to a power conference and what sort of talent Oklahoma State surrounds him with at the skill positions.
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