Is Drew Mestemaker really QB1? A troubling trend and lessons from Caleb Williams, Trevor Lawrence

Caleb Williams. Trevor Lawrence. Drew Mestemaker.

Two former No. 1 overall picks and probably the hottest name in the 2027 NFL Draft all share a troubling distinction: Over the last decade-plus, only Williams and Lawrence had higher turnover-worthy-play rates under pressure in their final college seasons than Mestemaker has this year.

But there's a catch. For Williams and Lawrence, those numbers were one-year blips after considerably better performances earlier in their college careers. For Mestemaker, the mistakes have followed him from North Texas to Oklahoma State … and they've gotten worse.

None of that means Mestemaker can't be the first quarterback selected in the 2027 NFL Draft. He's put himself squarely in the QB1 conversation, and for good reason. I have Miami's Darian Mensah just ahead of him, but there's a whole lot to like about Mestemaker's game.

NFL teams will also have to answer an important question before investing a high first-round pick in him: What happens when defenses take away the easy throws and force him to make decisions under pressure?

There's plenty to like about the Oklahoma State quarterback, who spent last season at North Texas. For starters, Mestemaker looks the part. He has a strong arm…

Original source: https://www.cbssports.com/