FOXBOROUGH - Was the Patriots pick, #3 overall, for sale or not? Doesn't matter now. The new brain trust - led by Director of Scouting Eliot Wolf - made its first big move, drafting North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye Thursday night, a decision Wolf said they had made weeks ago but one Maye wasn't aware of until the phone rang Thursday night.
“I’m stoked. I’m super pumped,” Maye said via video conferencing. “Can’t wait to be up in New England. Looking so forward to it. And just an awesome moment to be here with my family and friends. One of the best nights of my life. Can’t wait to get up there and get started and get to work.”
There were nonstop rumblings of the Vikings, Broncos, Raiders, and Giants all exploring what it would cost to make the Pats move off their spot, but that "bag" that Jerod Mayo asked for never came. It's just as well. The Pats had no long-term plan for the position after Mac Jones failed — and was failed by — the organization.
Instead, they did what they could to support the franchise's future face by signing Jacoby Brissett to create a buffer so Maye won't be thrown to the wolves if he's not ready and to avoid the toxicity that polluted the quarterback room the last couple of seasons. The two men met last summer throughout former UNC and Commanders QB Sam Howell, a close friend of Maye.
“He’s a player that elevates others around him, and that’s really all you can ask for at the quarterback position,” said Wolf. “Obviously he’s got a lot of talent. He’s athletic, he’s big, he’s strong. He’s young, and we feel like there’s a lot of upside to his game.”
Maye is 6'4.5", 225 pounds, but isn't just a pocket passer. He rushed for nearly 1,200 yards and 16 touchdowns in his two seasons as a starter in Chapel Hill. The redshirt sophomore had 56 runs of 10 or more yards, second over the last two years to #2 overall pick Jayden Daniels.
Combine that athleticism with a big arm, and you understand why Maye has been locked in as top pick throughout this process.
After throwing for over 4,300 yards in 2022 (66%, 38 TDs/7 INTs), North Carolina changed coordinators, and that - combined with 181 receptions leaving the program - saw the quarterback suffer a slight downturn in production (63%, 3,608 yards, 24 TDs/8 INTs). There are some concerns about Maye's footwork, but as one college scouting director told me (and I wrote earlier this week), "If you can't fix that, you shouldn't be in the business." The 21-year-old (he turns 22 at the end of August) made strides on that front between the end of the regular season and his pro day and has continued to refine his skills under the tutelage of Philip Rivers, former Chargers and Colts QB.
"Not to take anything away from anyone else in the program, but the game was on his shoulders for them," said Wolf. "They have some talented players...but he was able to elevate them and make them into what they can be."
I asked Wolf how they reconciled some of the "bad" tape from this past season.
"That's a good question. So you know meeting with Coach (Alex) Van Pelt, coach (Ben) McAdoo, (T.C.) McCartney - just kind of talking through some of the things, some of the development he needed, some of the things that they thought they could tighten up or, or fix in some cases. And, at the end of the day, we felt comfortable with those things, and really betting on the talent and the kid - like Drake's a relentless worker from all the indications that we have, he's gonna be able to overcome some of the things in areas that he needs to."
Maye is a fierce competitor. That may have to do with being the youngest of four brothers, all accomplished athletes.
"I want to come in and start," he said earlier this week. "You know the competitor in me wants to go in there and start right away - be the game one guy and day one starter. But at the same time, that might not be reality. You gotta be ready for whatever, so I'm ready to compete like I'm going to be the starter (and) try to prove to them that I should be the starter, but be ready to learn and wait til I earn that job."
BSJ Analysis
- The Pats landed where they should have: on the QB with the most potential to be a top-10 QB down the road. Yes, they still need a left tackle and a number one receiver (and maybe a number two), but this new coaching staff understands (or has paid the proper lip service) that they need to surround and support the kid. That's why Alex Van Pelt is here; this is how he can earn his money (most of it, at least).
- Despite being "Team QB" the entire time, I think it was wise for the Pats to keep the pick "available." Teams panic. We've seen it year after year. Just because the mind-blowing offer didn't come didn't mean it a) wasn't a worthwhile venture to entertain the notion of moving back and b) that they don't like Maye enough. If they didn't like Maye, they would have taken less than the bag or J.J. McCarthy or maneuvered down the board, selling the fan base on why that was the way to go. Remember, a bunch of the folks still in the building - Wolf, Groh, and Mayo, to name a few - witnessed what happened with Mac Jones. He was not supported, and while he may never have been the answer, he was failed by the organization. They can't allow that to happen again.