Some New Englanders attended the pro day of a possible Patriots draft pick on Thursday.
In all, Drake Maye completed 70 passes while showcasing his arm strength. After missing a few deep passes early in the game, the quarterback from North Carolina recovered to play well in the end.
Maye discussed what makes him a desirable pick in next month’s draft in an interview with ACC Network following the conclusion of his pro day.
“I’m a rival. Whether I’m playing pickleball, running to that door over there, or anything else, it doesn’t matter; what counts is being on the field,” Maye remarked. “I’ve shown that I can win, and I’m prepared to compete and go forth and do my thing.”
Maye was a successful member of the Tar Heels at UNC. In 2023, he completed 3,608 yards of passing with 24 touchdowns and nine interceptions; the previous year, he completed 4,321 yards with 38 touchdowns.
The 6-foot-4 quarterback is anticipated to be a top choice in the 2024 NFL Draft. He did not throw during this month’s NFL Combine. After Maye moved to New England and signed Jacoby Brissett for a one-year contract, there were numerous mock drafts.
This week, at the NFL’s annual league meetings, Patriots coach Jerod Mayo was asked about his impressions on Maye after meeting with New England at the NFL Combine, during the AFC Coaches’ Breakfast.
“Drake Maye had a fantastic interview at the combine. He brings a lot of energy. You can tell he has that leadership ability. And also the exciting part about a guy like Drake Maye is the ceiling. Like, there is really no ceiling with a guy like that,” Mayo told reporters. “Now, in saying that, when we’re trying to put together this roster, I know a lot of people look at the ceiling, but you also got to kind of see how low is the floor. How low is the floor? And I would say that a guy like Drake Maye, he has a lot of room to grow. He’s a young guy. Honestly, he hasn’t played football nearly as much as these other guys. So that’s definitely something that we’ve looked at, but he definitely is going to develop.”
It’s unclear what the Patriots will finally decide to do. According to sources who spoke with MassLive, they will select a quarterback in the April draft. Furthermore, Mayo was open to all possibilities even if he acknowledged that the position is a “priority” for the team.
