Patriots draft Maye, renew attempt to find franchise QB
The New England Patriots selected North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, No. 3 overall.
Maye was one of the top prospects in this year's draft. The Chicago Bears selected quarterback Caleb Williams first overall, and the Washington Commanders took passer Jayden Daniels at No. 2.
The former North Carolina signal-caller amassed 62 touchdown passes against 16 interceptions while completing 64% of his attempts in two seasons as a starter for the Tar Heels.
Maye at No. 3 is the Patriots' highest draft pick since they selected quarterback Drew Bledsoe first overall in 1993. New England used a first-round pick on Mac Jones in 2021 but traded the 25-year-old quarterback to the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason.
The Patriots kicked off a new era this year by naming Jerod Mayo their new head coach to replace Bill Belichick.
New England has lacked consistency at quarterback since Tom Brady left the team during the 2020 offseason. Jones helped the Pats make the playoffs as a rookie in 2021 but couldn't replicate that success in recent years. The Patriots posted a 4-13 record last year.
Pre-draft profile
Don’t fall into the trap of helmet scouting here - Maye is the second of two elite QB prospects in this class. While he surely would have liked to cap off his college career with a more consistent 2023 campaign, the North Carolina standout has proven capable of being a high-end player in the professional ranks. Opponents have to account for every blade of grass against Maye’s rocket arm, and he’s one of the few quarterbacks to already demonstrate pro-caliber pocket-management skills. Add in the athleticism to extend plays in creation mode, or take off and pick up yards himself, and you’ve got a quarterback who can overcome anything defenses throw at him. Maye can be a little too aggressive at times, occasionally making poor decisions when a play breaks down, and footwork issues lead to some bizarre misses. But those are all things that can be improved in the early stages of his NFL development, especially with a better supporting cast and offensive structure. Maye has the potential to be a true franchise quarterback.