Meet the unlikely star whos unseated Arch Manning atop 2027 QB NFL Draft class

Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker wasn’t even the starting signal-caller on his high school football team.Now, he just might be the hottest name in the race to go No.1 overall in next April’s NFL Draft.Mestemaker, who followed new Cowboys head coach Eric Morris and offensive coordinator Sean Brophy from North Texas to Stillwater, has emerged as one of the nation’s top passers seemingly out of nowhere.NFL scouts and draft analysts are taking notice.After losing a quarterback competition at Vandegrift High School in Texas, Mestemaker stayed put, playing defensive back and punter rather than transferring to get a starting job behind center. He eventually walked on at North Texas, where he spent his freshman season behind Chandler Morris before getting his first start in a bowl game against Texas State. Mestemaker had a breakout sophomore campaign, during which he led the FBS in passing yards, setting the stage for his move to Oklahoma State and a stunning ascent up NFL Draft boards as other big name college quarterbacks like Arch Manning struggle to prove they deserve to be the first player off the board. Coming into the year, Mestemaker was already on the radar of NFL Draft analysts, although he was generally ranked outside the top tier of quarterback prospects and a fringe first-round pick.Just six weeks into the season, his prospect status has changed dramatically.ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.

has Mestemaker as the No.2 player on his board behind Ohio State’s star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler also dubbed Mestemaker as his QB1 in the 2027 class.PFF has him as the first passer off the board in their first mock draft of the year. “Mestemaker’s path has been unprecedented,” Brugler told The Post.

“While still raw in areas, he has exciting foundational traits with his size, arm, athleticism and mental toughness and his issues are primarily experienced-based.”CBS Sports draft analyst Ryan Wilson, who ranked Mestema...