The Patriots selected former North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye in the 2024 NFL Draft and acquired veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett after trading Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars this summer.
The Patriots also chose Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III in the sixth round, adding to a QB room that already contained Bailey Zappe and Nathan Rourke.
Though Maye is clearly the long-term answer, was he given the opportunity to start immediately? He was chosen after Caleb Williams (Chicago Bears) and Jayden Daniels (Washington Commanders).
Head coach of the Patriots, Jerod Mayo, acknowledged that veteran Jacoby Brissett might start the season, but he and new youngster Drake Maye will be vying for the position.
“Coming in as a rookie, hopefully he’s a sponge,” Mayo told Cameron Wolfe of NFL.com about Maye. “A lot of good players in that locker room. Look, Jacoby understands. He’s a mentor. He’s very smart, has great leadership skills, and hopefully Drake can learn something from him, as well. I would say we’re going to compete all spring. We’re going to compete during training camp, and the best player will start.”
“You can sit here and say he’s not supposed to be pro-ready,” Mayo said of Maye, “but once you get a guy in the building, what if he’s tearing us up on defense?”
Bill Belichick had a strong opinion on the New England Patriots’ No. 3 overall pick, Drake Maye on draft night as the experienced coach took issue with the former North Carolina quarterback’s own comparisons to Josh Allen, and he expressed concern over his lack of experience and the need for growth.
“Drake compares himself a lot to Josh Allen, he’s been doing that for quite a while – we’ll see about that,” Belichick said on “The Pat McAfee Show” draft night special last week. “I think there are some similarities in terms of size and athleticism, but Josh Allen is a pretty special player now.”
“A very talented kid, good size, runs well, has a good arm – just, he hasn’t played very much. He really doesn’t have a lot of experience.”
“He’s gonna need some work in reading defenses, reading coverages,” Belichick added. “This is a kid that can make all the throws, he just needs to be more consistent.”
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The Patriots have had five starting quarterbacks since Tom Brady left the team and just one winning record with a playoff appearance.
Drake Maye Has The Arm Talent To Propel The New England Patriots Back To Where They Once Were
Drake Maye, the University of North Carolina product, got the call at pick No. 3 overall on Thursday night that he was headed to New England. Offers to move down had been fielded, but ultimately the Patriots got their guy.
Their guy has shown he has the talent to get things done with his arm.
With 4,321 passing yards and 38 passing touchdowns, Maye exceeded the program’s single-season record for North Carolina. Additionally, he led the conference with 3,608 passing yards and was third in the FBS with an average of 338.1 yards of total offense per game last autumn, earning him second-team All-ACC honors, via sportsreference.com.
The former four-star recruit out of Charlotte’s Myers Park High School finished as a two-time team captain. He went 17-9 as UNC’s starter under center.
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