The Miami Dolphins are already being predicted to replace Malik Willis at quarterback, as a recent projection has them selecting Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker at No. 43 in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Tankathon’s latest 2027 mock draft has the former North Texas walk-on landing with the Dolphins in the second round.
The projection fits a franchise still resetting after parting with Tua Tagovailoa and stacking draft capital during a rebuild. Willis, signed to a three-year, $67.5 million deal with $45 million guaranteed, is the starter now.
A second-round quarterback in 2027 would give Miami a cheaper, younger option if Willis does not lock down the job long-term.
Mestemaker’s story is already one of the more unusual ones in this draft class. He never started at quarterback in high school at Austin’s Vandegrift, walked on at North Texas, and exploded as a redshirt freshman in 2025.
He led FBS with 4,379 passing yards and threw 34 touchdowns, winning the Burlsworth Trophy as the nation’s top former walk-on and American Conference Offensive Player of the Year.
When Eric Morris took the Oklahoma State job, Mestemaker followed on a reported two-year, $7 million NIL deal.
The early 2026 tape has only added to the buzz. After a rough opener at Tulsa, Mestemaker helped Oklahoma State stun No. 6 Oregon 39-31.
He completed 26 of 43 passes for 317 yards and two touchdowns, added 109 rushing yards and a score, and delivered the game-winning 10-yard scramble in the fourth quarter.
Scouts like the 6-foot-3, 211-pound frame, arm talent, and ability to extend plays. The questions are consistency, processing against Power Four defenses, and how much of the 2025 production came from a Group of 5 air-raid system.
For the Dolphins, the fit is practical more than flashy. Willis arrived from Green Bay with limited starting experience but a live arm and mobility that new coach Jeff Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan already knew well.
His 2027 salary is fully guaranteed at $21.5 million, so Miami is not walking away after one year. Drafting Mestemaker at 43 would still let the staff develop a prospect behind Willis rather than reach for a first-round quarterback if the 2026 season goes poorly.
Second-round quarterbacks are rarely finished products. Mestemaker would need time, a defined offense, and better supporting pieces than Miami currently has after trading away stars.
If the former walk-on keeps climbing after the Oregon performance, Tankathon’s pick at 43 starts to look like value rather than a luxury. If he stalls, the Dolphins can still treat Willis as the present and keep collecting assets.
Either way, the mock captures where this rebuild sits: bridge quarterback now, younger arm later.
