Meet Drew Mestemaker, the walk-on QB following Fernando Mendoza’s path

Albuquerque, New Mexico - Drew Mestemaker, a walk-on quarterback for the North Texas Mean Green, has become the subject of much fascination in the sports world. Just as fans are intrigued by the "next Tom Brady," the "next Dak Prescott," and the "next Patrick Mahomes," Mestemaker is now being considered the "next Fernando Mendoza."

Mendoza, a Heisman Trophy winner at Indiana, was the first-overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. Mestemaker's journey to the 2026 college football season has been anything but straightforward. At Vandegrift High School in Austin, Texas, Mestemaker was the backup quarterback in his junior year and remained so in his senior year.

It was on defense and special teams that he truly excelled, being named a Second-Team All-District player as a punter. After high school, Mestemaker enrolled at North Texas as a walk-on, never receiving a scholarship offer. His journey took a turn when he was drafted by head coach Eric Morris, who saw potential in the unproven freshman.

Mestemaker began his freshman year on the depth chart but quickly moved up to the backup position. His performance in a regular-season game against Texas State, where he completed passes for 393 yards and two touchdowns, caught the attention of many. This led to him starting in the bowl game against Texas State, where he threw for 250 yards and three touchdowns, securing a win for the Mean Green.

This performance earned him the AAC Offensive Player of the Year and First-Team All-AAC honors, culminating in him winning the Burlsworth Award.