Drew Mestemaker had nowhere to hide in the fourth quarter. Oklahoma State trailed No. 6 Oregon by a single point, with the upset hanging in the balance. Then the quarterback took control, powering the Cowboys to a jaw-dropping 39-31 victory while delivering three touchdowns. Mestemaker did not enter 2026 with the spotlight or pedigree of a top prospect. Now, the NFL is starting to notice.

According to the latest NFL mock draft from USA Today NFL analyst Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, Oklahoma State Cowboys QB Drew Mestemaker could be headed to Pittsburgh to become the Steelers’ next franchise quarterback. This development is quite emotional for Mestemaker, considering that no one even paid attention to his skills back in high school.

“No, I wasn’t. I had zero offers, just two walk-on opportunities,” said Mestemaker when Ryen Russillo asked him whether he received any offers in high school. The host then asked what his earlier years were like, to which Mestemaker revealed that he spent most of his time on the sidelines.

“I actually never started a game in high school. Was on freshman B team my first year and then was a backup quarterback my whole career in high school,” said Mestemaker.

So, how does he feel now after seeing his name in an NFL mock draft alongside the Pittsburgh Steelers? Well, Russillo asked him the same question, and his response was nothing short of gold.

“I mean, it’s wild that it’s all happened this fast. You know, I kind of always, like, knew one day, like, I could be a great quarterback, but I did not expect it all to happen this fast. And I think Coach Morris, Coach Brophy have developed me so fast and really gotten me up to speed, I think helped me with all the missing reps I had in high school,” said Mestemaker.

He led the B team to a perfect 10-0 record before receiving limited opportunities at the varsity level. As a sophomore, he started JV games; by junior year, he was backup to Brayden Bohanon. His team did reach its first state championship game; however, they ultimately lost to DeSoto.

After the season, he looked set to become the team’s primary quarterback. However, Wisconsin quarterback Deuce Adams moved into the neighborhood from nearby New Braunfels. Mestemaker fought hard for the job, and the battle went on for a long time, but Adams ultimately won out.

“I didn’t want to leave or stand on the sideline my senior year,” Mestemaker said. “I was just trying anything to get on the field and play with my best friends that I grew up with.”

Mestemaker refused to fold. Instead, he volunteered for anything to stay on the field.

Teaching himself to punt, he earned all-district honors. When a safety spot opened up, the lanky 6-foot-4 quarterback answered the call, taking on multiple roles in the defensive backfield. By season’s end, Mestemaker had earned all-district honors at both positions while helping his team finish the regular season unbeaten at 10-0.

“He could have easily transferred. He could have easily gone somewhere else. But because he valued his teammates and his program and his coaches and community, it was a really cool thing to see him find a way to contribute with the best attitude possible. He’s one in a million,” Vandegrift coach Drew Sanders told CBS Sports.

He joined a QB academy and committed to Oklahoma State, where his development accelerated. That said, despite struggling in his first game against Tulsa, he shocked everyone with his performance in Week 2, and he is certainly proud of it.

Drew Mestemaker Is “Proud” After Putting on a Show

Oklahoma State entered Saturday’s clash with No. 6 Oregon carrying a 21-game losing streak against FBS opponents and a 1-11 overall record from last season. To make matters worse, they had suffered a crushing 66-point loss to the Ducks last season.

With everything stacked against them, Oregon seemed almost certain to win, but Mestemaker wasn’t about to let that happen.

The sophomore erupted for 317 passing yards, 109 rushing yards and three touchdowns, powering the Cowboys to a stunning upset victory. His production helped his team pull off the upset of the decade, and he is certainly happy with what he has done.

“I’m proud of our guys coming back and putting on a show against Oregon,” Mestemaker said during his conversation at ESPN’s SportsCenter.

Now, the question is whether Mestemaker can maintain the same level of performance he showed against Oregon.