Patriots select UNC QB Drake Maye with 3rd overall pick in NFL Draft
Bryan Lambert
·3 min read
The former North Carolina Tar Heels signal caller will wear a different shade of blue next season.
The New England Patriots selected quarterback Drake Maye with the 3rd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft Thursday night, the team’s first draft pick in the post-Bill Belichick era and first since trading 2021 first-round QB Mac Jones to Jacksonville.
At 6′4″, 223 pounds, with a 6′4″ wingspan, Maye, 21, has a size and frame that NFL scouts and front offices salivate over. The 2022 Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year boasts a cannon of an arm and a stronger upside than most of his draft class.
Maye’s athleticism and arm strength may remind Patriots fans of another AFC East rival’s signal caller. But like Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen, Maye does not enter the professional ranks without questions regarding his mechanics.
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 03: Drake Maye #10 of the North Carolina Tar Heels looks for a pass against the Clemson Tigers in the third quarter during the ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium on December 03, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 28: Drake Maye #10 of the North Carolina Tar Heels warms up prior to facing Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium on October 28, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 28: Drake Maye #10 of the North Carolina Tar Heels runs the ball during the first half of the San Diego Credit Union Holiday Bowl game against the Oregon Ducks at PETCO Park on December 28, 2022 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 28: Drake Maye #10 of the North Carolina Tar Heels looks to pass against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets during the second quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium on October 28, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 07: Drake Maye #10 of the North Carolina Tar Heels looks to pass against the Syracuse Orange during the first half of their game at Kenan Memorial Stadium on October 07, 2023 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 29: Drake Maye #10 of the North Carolina Tar Heels rolls out against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the first half of their game at Kenan Memorial Stadium on October 29, 2022 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 11: Drake Maye #10 of the North Carolina Tar Heels stiff-arms Jeremiah Lewis #39 of the Duke Blue Devils during the first overtime period at Kenan Memorial Stadium on November 11, 2023 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The Tar Heels won 47-45 in double overtime. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - APRIL 25: Drake Maye arrives to the 2024 NFL Draft at the Fox Theatre on April 25, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 28: Drake Maye #10 of the North Carolina Tar Heels rushes against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets during the fourth quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium on October 28, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 03: Drake Maye #10 of the North Carolina Tar Heels gets called for a facemask penalty against Trenton Simpson #22 of the Clemson Tigers in the second quarter during the ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium on December 03, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 02: Drake Maye #10 of the North Carolina Tar Heels stiff-arms Stone Blanton #52 of the South Carolina Gamecocks during the first half of the game at Bank of America Stadium on September 02, 2023 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CLEMSON, SOUTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 18: Drake Maye #10 of the North Carolina Tar Heels passes the ball during the second quarter against the Clemson Tigers at Memorial Stadium on November 18, 2023 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - APRIL 25: (L-R) Drake Maye celebrates with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected third overall by the New England Patriots during the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza on April 25, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye, left, celebrates with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being chosen by the New England Patriots with the third overall pick during the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye poses with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being chosen by the New England Patriots with the third overall pick during the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Detroit.
North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye poses with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being chosen by the New England Patriots with the third overall pick during the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - APRIL 25: (L-R) Drake Maye poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected third overall by the New England Patriots during the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza on April 25, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye poses with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being chosen by the New England Patriots with the third overall pick during the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - APRIL 25: (L-R) Drake Maye poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected third overall by the New England Patriots during the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza on April 25, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
FILE - North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye (10) plays during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, in Clemson, S.C. Maye is a possible first round pick in the NFL Draft. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman, File)
North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye walks on stage during the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye poses on the red carpet ahead of the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 07: Drake Maye #10 of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts after throwing for a touchdown against the Syracuse Orange during the second half of their game at Kenan Memorial Stadium on October 07, 2023 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The Tar Heels won 40-7. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 23: Drake Maye #10 of the North Carolina Tar Heels celebrates after a North Carolina Tar Heels touchdown in the first quarter against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Acrisure Stadium on September 23, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
College Football: North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye (10) in action, looks on vs. South Carolina at Bank of America Stadium. Charlotte, NC 9/2/2023 CREDIT: Carlos Saavedra (Photo by Carlos Saavedra/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X164413 TK1))
CHAPEL HILL, NC - SEPTEMBER 16: North Carolina Tar Heels Quarterback Drake Maye (10) throws the ball from the pocket during the college football game between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the North Carolina Tar Heels on September 16, 2023, at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, NC. (Photo by Lee Coleman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 04: Drake Maye #10 of the North Carolina Tar Heels looks on during the game against the Campbell Fighting Camels at Kenan Memorial Stadium on November 04, 2023 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The Tar Heels won 59-7. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye (10) looks to throw a pass under pressure from Pittsburgh defensive lineman Dayon Hayes (50) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 02: Drake Maye #10 of the North Carolina Tar Heels stiff-arms Stone Blanton #52 of the South Carolina Gamecocks during the first half of the game at Bank of America Stadium on September 02, 2023 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye, right, jumps away from a tackle-attempt by South Carolina linebacker Debo Williams during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 03: Drake Maye #10 of the North Carolina Tar Heels runs the ball against the Clemson Tigers in the second quarter during the ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium on December 03, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
Maye is the second youngest of the five QBs on top of most mock drafts and the rawest. Maye’s athleticism and arm talent carried him to collegiate success but his instincts steer him wrong at times, leading to reckless, turnover-worthy throws. Scouts have called into question Maye’s footwork and ability to throw in the short and intermediate, but new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt earned a reputation as one of the league’s best offensive tutors during his decade-plus working with the Cleveland Browns.
Under several coaching and personnel changes at Chapel Hill in his final season, Maye’s counting stats took a step backward but the North Carolina native still threw for 3,608 yards, 24 touchdowns and had a 63.3 completion percentage in 12 games.
Maye now joins a Patriots QB depth chart currently sporting Jacoby Brissett and Bailey Zappe. While the Patriots clearly view Maye as the QB of the future, there is no guarantee the 21-year-old immediately steps into the starting role.
Patriots beat writers have reported the new regime in Foxboro entered this spring with the intention of signing a veteran QB and leaving the draft with a highly regarded QB prospect.
At the Combine, we reported the Patriots plan: Sign a veteran backup, trade Mac Jones and draft a QB.
We haven't heard anything to suggest that's changed.
