The North Texas Mean Green are off to one of the finest seasons in program history, and it’s no coincidence that redshirt freshman quarterback Drew Mestemaker is firmly at the center of it all. As he stacks up numbers, poise, and national attention, his journey is quickly evolving from long-shot walk-on to one of college football’s most compelling breakout stars.
And it’s that improbable rise, from complete obscurity to national recognition, that has many drawing comparisons to another underdog quarterback who once shocked the world: Tom Brady.
From “B Team” Freshman to No Varsity Snaps
Mestemaker’s high school résumé bears no resemblance to that of a future college star. He never started a varsity high school game. His only full-time role came as a freshman on his high school’s “B Team”.
At Vandegrift High School, he was buried on the depth chart behind a Power Five quarterback prospect. With no meaningful varsity tape, college recruiters, not surprisingly, overlooked him entirely.
Yet, even without snaps, Mestemaker continued to find ways to contribute. As a senior, he played special teams, punted, and even lined up on defense, simply to help his team be the team player he has always been. His high school coaches praised his attitude and work ethic, but even they weren’t sure a college opportunity would come without any film to validate his talent.
North Texas Saw What No One Else Did
That opportunity arrived at North Texas under head coach Eric Morris, known for developing quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, Baker Mayfield and Cam Ward.
Mestemaker walked on at UNT, with no scholarship and no guarantees, and started buried on the depth chart. But he kept his head down and went to work, embodying the underdog mantra he’s lived by his whole life.
His redshirt season proved crucial. Although he played in fewer than four games that year, it allowed him to adjust to college speed, develop his mechanics, and absorb Morris’ system without pressure. A strategic way of getting more experience without using a year of eligibility. When a quarterback competition arrived, Mestemaker didn’t just participate; he won the starting job over a transfer quarterback, earning full control of the offense heading into 2025.
Zero Stars to National Star
Most programs never noticed Mestemaker because he had no game film. North Texas took a chance anyway. Now he’s the star no one saw coming, leading one of the best Group of Five programs in the country and pushing the Mean Green toward a possible College Football Playoff berth.
The awards committees have also taken notice. Mestemaker was recently named a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien Award, Walter Camp Player of the Year, and the Burlsworth Trophy, a trifecta of honors usually far out of reach for a freshman walk-on.
“Breakout season” barely describes it. He hasn’t just exceeded expectations, he’s created new levels of expectations and standards for himself going forward. The sky isn’t even the limit for him at this point.
A Freshman Season for the Ages
Mestemaker is now rewriting the American Athletic Conference record books. In a 54–20 win over Charlotte, he threw for an AAC-record 608 yards and four touchdowns, completing 37 of 49 passes. Sixteen of those completions went for 15+ yards as UNT improved to 7–1 for the first time since 1977.
To put the 608-yard performance in perspective:
- It was the most passing yards by any FBS quarterback since K.J. Costello threw for 623 in 2020.
- It was the second-most ever by a freshman or redshirt freshman, trailing only David Neill’s 611 yards in 1998.
Through nine games, Mestemaker has completed 214 of 310 passes (69%) for 2,702 yards, 21 touchdowns, and just four interceptions. He has also added four rushing touchdowns. PFSN has him ranked 42nd out of all college quarterbacks and the 5th-ranked quarterback in the American Conference according to their QB Impact Grading System. Although that might not look the best at first glance, he is just a freshman with an unlimited amount of potential to grow.
Nationally, he ranks:
- 9th in passing yards
- T-9th in passing touchdowns
- 13th in passer rating
And he leads all FBS freshmen in major passing categories.
From Unknown to Unstoppable
The Davey O’Brien Award honors the nation’s top quarterback. The Walter Camp Award honors college football’s best all-around player. Mestemaker is the only freshman semifinalist for either award, a testament to his rapid rise.
He has gone from zero to hero seemingly overnight, but nothing about it was given to him. Every inch of progress was earned.
A Modern Underdog Story With a Proven Blueprint
Comparisons to Tom Brady aren’t about play style but more so about trajectory.
- Overlooked?
- Under-recruited?
- Buried on depth charts?
- Relentlessly competitive?
- Unshakably poised?
Mestemaker checks every box.
North Texas took a chance on him. He took a chance on himself. And now, the once-unknown walk-on is leading one of the most explosive offenses in college football and bringing national attention to a program on the rise.
Whether he becomes the “next Tom Brady” remains to be seen, but one thing is certain:
Mestemaker is no longer an underdog. He’s a star.