Drake Maye was one of the breakout stars of the 2022 college football season and because of his play, it seems other schools would love to have him in their program. However, there is an issue for the North Carolina quarterback because rumors stated he was offered money to transfer.
Reports emerged this past week that Maye was offered NIL deals worth upwards of $5 million to larger programs.
With so much hoopla surrounding these reported payments, Maye is now speaking out. In an interview with ESPN, Maye asserted that the reports were rumors that “weren’t really reality.”
“Those rumors weren’t really reality,” Maye said. “Pitt’s coach (Pat Narduzzi) ended up putting that out there. I don’t know what that was about. You have to enter the transfer portal to talk to these schools and hear these offers. For me, I think college football is going to turn into a mess. They’re going to have to do something. There was nothing to me or my family directly offered from any of these other schools. Nothing was said or offered to the Mayes.”
In addition to Narduzzi, UNC coach Mack Brown told reporters on Monday Maye “turned down a whole lot of money” to stay at UNC.
“I can’t say (who they are), and don’t ask Drake,” Brown said, per 247Sports. “You know who they are. Just look at all the ones who are getting all the top recruits.”
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The Maye family has a long history at UNC as both of his parents went to school in North Carolina.
His older brother, Luke, played basketball for the Tar Heels, and hit a buzzer-beater to send the team to the Final Four in 2017.
This past year, threw for 4,115 yards and 35 touchdowns with just seven interceptions as a redshirt freshman. He helped lead the Tar Heels to the ACC championship game and has likely made himself a top quarterback prospect in the 2024 NFL draft.
“It wouldn’t sit right, especially with all my family …” Drake Maye said of transferring, via ESPN. “Switching it up after everything the Mayes went through wouldn’t represent what the university means to me or how much it means for me to go there. It’d mess up the mojo and all we’ve built there. That Carolina blue is special. There’s no other color in the world that meaningful.”
