ESPN football staple Mel Kiper Jr. is warm on Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker.
Kiper, revealing his midseason 2027 NFL Draft big board, listed the Cowboys’ sophomore gunslinger at No. 2 on his favorite 25 prospects for the upcoming draft class. It’s not a mock draft, Kiper says, but in October, Mestemaker finds himself alongside Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (No. 1) and Notre Dame corner Leonard Moore (No. 3).
The highest-ranked QB ahead of Miami’s Darian Mensah (No. 4), Mestemaker won points with Kiper on just how much he’s lending the Cowboys in a 4-1 start to the season. Mestemaker and Oklahoma State bounced back, defeating top-10 Oregon in Week 2 after opening the season with a stunning 24-10 loss at Tulsa; They’ve won four in a row heading to Houston this week.
“His toolbox is also pretty incredible,” Kiper said. “I love the way he scans the field and bides his time in the pocket. Mestemaker has the big arm to make all of the throws, with 30 completions going for 20-plus yards this season (third in the FBS). But he also has the mobility to pick up nice chunks of yardage on the ground. Mestemaker shows linebacker-esque toughness and plays with a competitive edge. He doesn’t turn 21 years old until January, and he has just 20 career starts to his name. So, there’s a lot of untapped potential.”
MESTEMAKER HEATING UP; HOUSTON UP NEXT
Leading the Cowboys back from an early 14-7 deficit, Mestemaker finished off a 42-28 home win vs. UCF, throwing for 304 yards, 2 touchdowns and a 94.3 QBR. Oklahoma State also seized a special teams opportunity – Evan Jackson returned a fumble 28 yards for a touchdown – and the No. 18 Cowboys retained their top-25 status ahead of a road trip to No. 20 Houston.
This week, Houston is a 4.5-point favorite entering arguably Oklahoma State’s biggest test since Oregon. The Cougars walked into Bill Snyder Family Stadium and shut down Kansas State 35-16 last weekend; Conner Weigman threw for 242 yards and 4 touchdowns on the road; Houston tight end Patrick Overmeyer caught all four passes, setting an FBS record at his position.
Mestemaker is certainly impressive now five games into his first season of Big 12 football, but his status is subject to change as the Cowboys dip into the thistles of league play beginning with a quality Cougar offense on Saturday.
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